


The Bunny and The Dragon

by Persephone_orchids



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:54:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 55,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26525545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephone_orchids/pseuds/Persephone_orchids
Summary: No one expected this. Not even Lucy and Gajeel. But the Woods have a strange way of making unexpected things happen.
Relationships: Lucy Heartfilia/Gajeel Redfox
Comments: 47
Kudos: 202





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, hello! Welcome to this story!   
> On one of my earlier fics, I got a couple requests for a Gajeel/Lucy story, and I was kinda apprehensive because GaLe is just the best. But then this idea trickled into the old noggin and I couldn't stop toying with it. So here we go! A GaLu fic! I should let you know, there will be some amount of adventure in this. Why do I specify that? Because I have a difficult time writing adventure. So please, go easy on me, and give me all the constructive criticism you have! I really do want to get good at writing adventure and action, so this is my little experiment towards that.
> 
> Finally, there will be smut. I only ever write smut and so I am prematurely setting this to Explicit because there will be lemons at some point. And, as usual, it won't be sweet vanilla sex. It'll be intense and kinky and yummy and bed-shaking. A hot little FYI in case sexy sex isn't your cup of soup.   
> And finally finally, I don't own Fairy Tail, I don't own these characters.   
> Okay, hope you enjoy!

The main floor of the guild was teeming with quiet whispers, each one attempting to determine what the pair outside were fighting about. Only two people, sitting at a table off to one side, knew what the fight was about, and both were sorely tempted to intervene.

Inhaling sharply, Gray stood up.

"I'm going and putting a stop to this. Natsu's being a pest," he declared emphatically.

Erza's hand shot out to grab his wrist, stopping him.

"Natsu said he'll handle it. Don't interrupt them. Plus, I happen to agree with Natsu. Lucy is the one being unreasonable," Erza shrugged.

Gray sat down heavily, glaring at the redhead. "How can you say that?! Do you not have _any_ faith in her? I know she isn't as powerful as you, but she's a strong wizard! And as if you and I haven't done it before. We should be supporting Lucy!" he yelled.

Heads turned to look at this pair. The guild couldn't pick which screaming duo to pay attention to.

"God, Natsu! Let me fucking be! You're not my father!"

All eyes were suddenly trained to the door as Lucy burst in.

"Of course I'm not! He never did anything to protect you! I'm your best friend and I'm telling you it's a bad idea!" Natsu shouted, following the angry blonde in.

She whipped around and poked her finger into his chest. "You're not allowed to say anything bad about my dad, got it?" she hissed.

"Fine, I'm sorry! It's not like he sent a group of evil bastards after you or anything! But still, sorry," Natsu looked at Lucy apologetically for a moment before steely fire returned to his eyes. "That doesn't change the fact that I'm not happy with your little plan! Let me come with you, Luce! I won't trouble you! We'll even leave Happy behind! Just… Don't go alone, Lucy," Natsu begged as they approached the table.

Erza moved to make space for Lucy, but the blonde glared icily at her other traitorous friend before planting herself next to Gray. He was the only one who was on her side.

"Lucy's a grown woman, guys. And she's strong. Stop treating her like a child," Gray defended.

Lucy reached over and squeezed his hand affectionately.

"We know that, Gray. We're just concerned. This is a dangerous mission, and she shouldn't be doing it alone," Erza reasoned.

"It's hardly dangerous! It's one rogue spirit, and all I have to do is catch it! It's simple for a Celestial Mage, really," Lucy said nonchalantly.

"But it's in the North Woods! A rogue spirit is the least of your concerns! Who even requested this job?! There are no villages up in the North Woods! It's just acres and acres of dense forest!" Natsu's voice increased in decibel as he continued his protest.

"There's a village a few miles south of the Woods edge. The river that runs from the Woods into the village is routinely being poisoned by the spirit. People are falling sick and dying, Natsu, and I'm the only one who can stop that!" Lucy said adamantly.

"Then take Yukino! She's a Celestial Mage too! She can help! Take someone, Lucy! The Woods are dangerous!" Natsu pleaded desperately.

Lucy opened her mouth to scream at him when Gray placed a calming hand on top of hers.

"Lucy knows, Natsu. And while I'm worried for her too, if this is something that she feels the need to do, then as her friends, we should let her. Lucy will be _fine_ ," Gray said with a slight edge to his voice.

Lucy didn't catch the infinitesimal change in his tone, but Natsu and Erza did. With barely contained grumbles, they dropped the subject, grudgingly giving Lucy their blessing.

"I'll be fine, you guys! I promise," Lucy vowed, jumping up from the table. "I'm gonna run and let Mira know before heading home to pack! I'll drop by the guild tomorrow morning before heading to the train station!" she said excitedly.

Still a little annoyed with Natsu and Erza, Lucy merely waved an enthusiastic goodbye in their direction. Gray, being her current knight in shining armour, got an emphatic kiss on the cheek which he rolled his eyes at before cracking the blonde a smile. As she bounded off towards Mirajane, the other three huddled together.

"What did you mean she'll be fine?" Erza demanded. Gray held up a finger, his eyes still on Lucy. He watched her finish talking to Mira and skip out of the guild before turning back to Erza.

"Loke?" he called softly.

A gold light shimmered next to Gray, and the Lion spirit materialised on the seat.

"I'll watch her," the orange haired man committed, without beating around the bush.

"You caught the conversation, huh?" Natsu asked.

"Some of it. Plus Gray filled me in yesterday when Lucy first brought it up. I'll keep an eye on her all the time, Natsu. I swear. Don't worry," Loke assured. "We will all look out for her," he added, referring to Lucy's other contracted spirits.

While Erza looked mollified, Natsu still felt uneasy. Nonetheless, he nodded, and soon, after a few more comforting assurances, Loke disappeared.

"Good thinking, Gray. I am ashamed to admit I hadn't thought of her spirits being with her," Erza commended the man.

"Nah…" Natsu started hesitantly. "Her spirits aren't good enough. There have been times when she called them and they didn't come," the pinkette shook his head.

"That was once! And it was because of the Eclipse gate! It hasn't happened since," Gray rationalised.

"I know… But still, Gray. There are terrible monsters in those Woods. Monsters that even you, or me, or Erza would have a tough time with. I love Luce, and she is very strong, don't get me wrong, but if I'm saying _Erza_ would have a tough time with those monsters, do you really think Lucy can handle them alone?" Natsu asked determinedly. Before Gray could answer, Natsu continued. "I know she has her spirits, but I'd just be happier if one of us was there with her."

"If we tried following her, she'd kill us. She'd never talk to us again. Do you want to risk that?" Gray cross-questioned.

Natsu knew Gray was right. There wasn't anything to be done.

"What's this about Bunny girl?" a voice cut through the silence that had fallen over the table.

"Oh. It's nothing, Gajeel," Erza said with a shake of her head.

"Bullshit. Tell me," Gajeel ordered, sliding into the seat next to Gray.

"Lucy has taken a solo gig in the North Woods. She leaves tomorrow," Natsu summarised.

"Is she out of her mind?!" the Iron Dragon Slayer roared.

"She'll have her spirits!" Gray slammed his fist on the table.

"No, man. You need someone there who can react in a split second. By the time she calls her spirit and the fucker shows up, it'll be too late. And she won't have enough magic energy to keep their gate open constantly. Spirits just won't cut it in the North Woods," Gajeel said definitively.

"What do you know about the Woods, Gajeel?" Erza asked inquisitively.

Gajeel looked at the redhead square in the eyes. He needed her to know that he was in no way exaggerating.

"They're the worst place I've ever set foot in. When Metalicana left, I wandered on my own for many years before I found Phantom Lord. At some point, I stumbled into the North Woods. I camped there for a few nights before I realised just how fucked I was. With every hour, the number of monsters that would attack my tent increased. At first, it was okay. I'd fight them off. But I began to tire. That's what they do. They just keep volleying themselves at you, never stopping, never surrendering. They are relentless. They come at you until you're too exhausted to fight back and then they devour you. It seemed easy at first, but then, a couple days later, a swarm of them were on top of me. They ripped my tent to shreds, destroyed everything I had, and damn near got me too. I barely escaped by the skin of my teeth. There were some real ugly sons of bitches in the Woods that day," he recounted with a shudder.

Erza's breath hitched. It was one thing for Natsu to dissuade Lucy - he was her best friend, after all. But for even Gajeel to be opposed to her going alone? That really worried both Gray and Erza.

"Shit…" Gray whistled softly. "What do we do? Should we risk it and follow her?" he asked.

"Maybe we should… It'll break her trust though," Erza added softly.

Gajeel watched the three look at each other, desperately searching for answers. Finally, after many moments of silence, Gajeel sighed.

"Fine. I'll go. She won't be expecting me, and I'm good at staying low. I'll watch Bunny girl," he said resignedly.

"No, I should go. It should be me," Natsu tried fighting Gajeel who was looking at the fire breather boredly.

"Gajeel is right, Natsu. He should go. Lucy will probably expect one of us, and it'll be easier for Gajeel to lie about why he's there if she does catch him." Erza put a hand on Natsu's arm.

"Yeah, I'll just tell her I'm on a mission of my own. Or reliving my early days. Or something. I'll figure it out _if_ she catches me," he emphasised.

Natsu huffed, turning over various alternatives in his head. Maybe Laxus could follow her? But he wasn't around… Cana, maybe? Though she wasn't exactly quiet and inconspicuous.

"Are you sure you're the best man for the job?" Natsu interrogated.

Gajeel leaned forward, looming over Natsu menacingly. "What does that mean, Pinky? Let's take this outside and I'll show you exactly why I'm the best," he growled.

Erza gripped Natsu's shoulder and held him back.

"Natsu is just making sure that you'll watch over Lucy," she pacified.

"Of course I will. Nothing is happening to Bunny on my watch," Gajeel scoffed.

Natsu studied his face closely. Gajeel seemed calm and determined. Finally, after several moments of deliberation, Natsu unenthusiastically agreed to Gajeel covertly following her.

The group settled on it, nodding their heads to communicate their mutual understanding. Gajeel stood up, pushing himself away from the table.

"You better fucking watch Lily, got it? All three of you. I better come back and hear that you treated my little man like a fucking king. I am not taking him to that hell hole, so you need to look out for him. Feed him well. He likes kiwis. And if there's thunder, you better fucking cuddle him. Got that? He's terrified of thunder. If I come back and Lily has even _one_ complaint, I will end all three of you. The North Woods are gonna look like a goddamn beach resort in comparison to what I'll do to you if anything happens to Lily. Have I made myself clear?" Gajeel demanded gruffly.

The three swallowed thickly and nodded. Gajeel shot them a threatening glare before walking away.

"Can't believe Mira even signed off on this… And what about the old geezer? Does Makarov know that she's running off by herself? Why does everyone in this damn guild have such a fucking boner for getting themselves and everyone else into a steaming pile of shit? And then stupid fucking Gajeel has to go and save their sorry asses. Would be nice for people to get their fucking shit in line for once, goddamnit," he mumbled angrily as he stalked out of the guild hall.

* * *

At home, Lucy was excitedly throwing clothes into a bag. The smallest part of her was nervous about being alone, but she knew her spirits would be with her every step of the way. This was a big moment for Lucy. After months and years of training and team missions, she finally felt confident to take on a difficult job alone. And who knows? Maybe this was the year Master would consider her for the S-Class trials. All her friends were already S-Class, and she wanted to prove that she was every bit as good as they were.

It had stung a little when Natsu and Erza were so insistent that she needed someone to go with her. Lucy knew they were saying it out of concern, but it only reconfirmed what she knew to be true: they didn't think she was strong enough. Only Gray believed in her, and for that she was grateful. She wanted to complete this job and prove to Natsu and Erza and everyone else that she was every bit as tough as they were. She had been training diligently, and was stronger than she'd ever been. Lucy knew about the horrors that lurked in the North Woods. She had done all her homework on the various monsters that were rumoured to reside there, and she knew exactly how to tackle each one. Lucy was confident that she could enter the woods, find the spirit, overpower it, and banish it back to the Spirit Realm. Loke and the others would take over from there.

As if he could read her thoughts, a bell chimed and the Golden Lion stepped out of a dazzle of light.

"Evening, Princess," he greeted sultrily.

"Hi Loke! What brings you here?" Lucy chirped.

"I heard you're going to the North Woods. Princess,-"

"Stop. I'm not doing this again," Lucy held a hand up. "I know it's dangerous, but I'll be fine. Only a Celestial Mage can overpower the rogue spirit and send it back, and I'm the only one capable of that. I'm doing the job, and you can't stop me," she said firmly.

"I wasn't going to. I just wanted to wish you luck and tell you that I'd be by your side the entire time. Literally, just think my name, and I'll be there, Princess. I swear, I'll protect you," Loke said sincerely.

Lucy's eyes softened. "Thanks, Loke. I know you'll have my back," she reached out to squeeze his hand.

"The North Woods can get pretty cold, Princess. Make sure you pack warm. Or, you can always just call me and I'll be happy to snuggle into your sleeping bag and warm you right up," Loke flirted with a wink.

Lucy's face darkened. "Get out of here, you pervy lion! I do not want you _snuggling_ with me!" she shrieked.

With a chuckle and another sultry wink, the Celestial Spirit vanished in a shower of golden sparkles.

Lucy plopped down on her bed with a sigh. The more everyone cautioned her about the job, the more scared she got. Maybe she was being stupid by not taking someone else as backup.

 _Loke is your backup. So is Virgo, and Capricorn, and Taurus, and all the others. Don't be silly, Lucy. You'll be fine. Your friends will have your back…_ Lucy reassured herself with a small pep talk. She wasn't going to start second-guessing her abilities now. Not with only a few hours to go before she had to leave. Lucy steeled her resolve. She purposefully finished packing, made dinner with determination, ate her meal resolutely, and finally, with tenacity in her eyes and spirited words coursing through her mind, Lucy clambered into bed.

* * *

She was exhausted. Sweat dripped down her brow, the salty liquid stinging her eyes as rivulets slipped between her lids. Her breath came in ragged pants as she leaned against a tree, her eyes rapidly scanning the dark forest.

"Loke!" Lucy yelled. His key was cold. All her keys were cold.

"Natsu! Natsu, please!" she cried, tears pricking her eyes.

A musty puff of air danced against her neck and the hair on her arms shot up.

"Natsu," Lucy sobbed brokenly. The dark forest was beginning to light up with white pinpricks. Eyes. Hundreds of pairs of eyes watched Lucy through the leaves.

"Lucy! Lucy, wake up!"

Lucy's eyes shot open. The first thing she noticed were white pinprick eyes, glinting in the moonlight. But as her vision quickly adjusted, she saw the glasses that framed those eyes and the shaggy orange hair that hung over Loke's forehead.

"Loke, what's wrong?" Lucy asked, sitting up. It was the middle of the night and her spirit was crouched by her bed, face painted with worry.

"You called me… You screamed my name, and then you screamed Natsu's name. You were crying, Princess," Loke explained gently, tucking an errant lock of blonde hair behind Lucy's ear.

"Were you having a nightmare?" he asked.

Embarrassment and shame flooded Lucy. She couldn't believe she'd cried for Loke and Natsu because of a bad dream. But still, there was no point lying to Loke. Lucy nodded her head slowly.

"What was it about?" Loke continued interrogating.

"The North Woods… It's stupid. I think everyone just got in my head," Lucy waved a hand.

"It's not stupid, Lucy. The North Woods _are_ dangerous, and it isn't too late to ask Natsu to go with you. I will be there, always, but it won't hurt to have someone else by your side," Loke sat on the bed next to Lucy.

"No, no. I don't need a babysitter, thank you very much. I'll be just fine," she said adamantly. Then looking at Loke guiltily, she whispered, "But still, can you stay until I fall asleep? I'll be brave in the morning, I swear."

The nightmare had shaken Lucy more than she cared to admit, and she didn't want to be left alone in her dark bedroom. Having Loke by her side as she slept would give her the ease of mind and confidence that she'd need for her mission tomorrow.

"Of course, Princess," Loke said sweetly. Lucy lay down and Loke tucked her blanket around her. He gently stroked her hair, sitting by her bed and lulling her back to sleep. He waited by her side until her breath was even and a small smile played at her lips. Satisfied that she'd now sleep restfully, Loke silently disappeared back to the spirit realm.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy woke up with barely contained excitement bubbling out of her. In the golden light of day the nightmare seemed hazy and distant, and Lucy was no longer scared. It may have been overzealous of her, but she was convinced that she'd have this job done in no time, with zero hitches along the way. Lucy hummed a merry tune as she brushed her teeth and got dressed, and after a quick scan to make sure she'd packed everything she needed, Lucy skipped out of her front door, a song still on her lips.

At the guild, Natsu half-heartedly tried one last time to convince Lucy to allow him to come with her, but before it could devolve into another fight, he grabbed her in a bone crushing hug and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Be careful, okay, Luce? I need you to stay safe and come back without a single scratch," he mumbled thickly, crushing the blonde to his chest.

A little taken aback by his display of affection, she wrapped her arms around him and comfortingly stroked his back.

"I'll be safe, I promise," she vowed softly.

"Good. Because you make the best sandwiches, and if you get hurt, I won't get my favourite lunch for a while," Natsu chuckled, attempting to dispel the suddenly serious aura that had enveloped them.

With a laugh, Lucy smacked Natsu's arm and pulled away. She said a round of goodbyes to everyone, thanking them as they wished her luck, and with a final wave, she pranced out of the guild hall and towards the train station.

Had Lucy turned around right as she exited the doors, she'd have seen Natsu exchange a very pointed look with Gajeel, and she'd have seen Gajeel hoist a bag over his shoulders before silently following her steps.

Still coddled by the safety net of Magnolia, Lucy was decidedly not on her guard. She figured that she had a few hours to relax until she got off at the Northernmost stop before walking to the Woods. She allowed herself to get lost in her novel and in the scenes rushing past outside her window. It occurred to Lucy that this was the first time in a very long time that she had travelled alone. She finally got to truly soak in the sights and sounds of the Fiore countryside, without the interruption of constant bickering and retching and fighting. She was so enraptured by the world flying by, that, at no point during her journey, did she notice the very sick, very miserable man hunched over himself in the far corner of her compartment. But through his discomfort and nausea, Gajeel had one eye trained on Lucy. Unlike the Celestial Mage, Gajeel hadn't let his guard down for an instant, and he was going to be on even higher alert when they got off the train. He intended to keep his promise to her friends - nothing was happening to Bunny girl on his watch.


	2. Chapter 2

"Miss Heartfilia, are you sure one of my sons can't come with you?"

"Yes dear, the Woods are hardly the place for a young lady such as yourself. Please, I'm certain Olec would be happy to accompany you."

"Mr Jun, Mrs Jun, thank you so much for your offer, but I assure you, I'll be fine. Please, don't worry. I am a Fairy Tail mage and I am going to do everything in my power to ensure your village doesn't suffer any longer. Trust me."

"But dear…"

"Liya, it's okay. If Ms. Heartfilia is insistent on venturing into the woods alone, then we must respect that. She seems to be a competent lady, and I'm certain that she will find success. Once again, Ms. Heartfilia, we are eternally grateful for your help. Please, do not hesitate to contact me or my wife for anything you may require. And I will have someone bring you a basket of food for you to carry into the Woods."

"Thank you, Mr Jun. That's very kind."

Gajeel sat in a tree outside the Mayor's house listening to this conversation unfold. The village itself was one-fourth the size of Magnolia, and the Mayor's house was a modest, single-storeyed, weather worn, quaint home. This village certainly didn't have the money to live fruitfully, and Gajeel felt a pang of sympathy for them. A rogue spirit terrorizing this already humble village must have been debilitating. Gajeel also felt a wave of pride for his guild and for Lucy. Trust that girl to go running after the most helpless cases and doing everything in her power to fix it. His heart warmed momentarily at her kindness before he shook himself out of those gushy emotions, bringing his focus back to the task at hand.

Lucy walked out of the Mayor's house, basket of food in hand, and she turned to wave goodbye to the middle-aged couple standing in the doorway. Mr and Mrs Jun wore identical masks of concern, tinged with hope. Last night, the village lost another person, this time a little girl, and the Mayor was at his wits ends. Most of the villagers were either sick or dead, and in the last month, their population had been culled by a fifth. While Mr Jun was worried for Lucy, he was vastly more relieved that their nightmare was coming to a close. He watched her round the corner, heading towards the ramshackled inn where she'd spend the night. By dawn tomorrow, Lucy would have entered the North Woods, and Mr Jun's heart tightened at the thought.

Gajeel surreptitiously wove through the trees and between houses, staying well behind Lucy, but close enough to catch her scent. When she slipped into the inn, Gajeel found a decent roof that overlooked the dilapidated structure and quickly made himself comfortable. The night passed uneventfully, and though Gajeel wanted to stay up and keep watch, after a few quiet hours of looking at the dark inn, his eyes drifted shut.

The sky had just barely lightened when Gajeel shot awake. A light breeze was blowing and the wind carried the scent of strawberry shampoo and honeyed skin. Gajeel instantly recognised that smell. He peered over the edge of the roof just in time to see Lucy softly pull the inn door shut. Backpack slung over her shoulders, Lucy marched towards the Woods. Gajeel watched her from the roof until she was barely a speck in the distance before leaping down and silently walking behind her. He made sure to hug the walls and trees, lest she turn around and spot him. Even from this distance, he noticed the way her shoulders slumped with the weight of her bag, and he felt the sudden urge to relieve her of the strain.

 _Stop being such a goddamn gentleman, you asshole. She can carry a fucking bag_ , he chastised himself. Chivalry was still a relatively foreign concept to him and he was always irritated when it made an appearance in his thoughts.

He stayed far behind Lucy until, after an hour of walking, she stepped over the forest line. Gajeel broke into a run, trying to catch up to Lucy before he lost sight of her in the dense Woods. Quickly scaling a tree, Gajeel maneuvered through the branches, staying almost on top of Lucy as she trudged through the damp forest floor.

* * *

He heard the bastard first. Then he smelled it. And so, Gajeel was ready when the ugly fucker flew out of a tree and towards the Iron Dragon Slayer. His arm was already an iron club when the creature attacked. Gajeel managed to get a good look and the smelly thing and nearly gagged at what he saw. It looked like a monkey, with wings of a bat and the beak of a bird. The creature opened its mouth to snarl and a shrill caw left its throat. Hidden within the beak were sharpened teeth, stained brown by old blood. Claws extended, the creature aimed for Gajeel's face.

At lightning speed, Gajeel swung his clubbed arm towards the twisted monster's head. With a satisfying crack, Gajeel's arm connected with its target, and the creature's head lolled to the side. Its eyes went blank and its chest stilled. It was a quick, painless death. After all, Gajeel wasn't here to torture anyone or anything. The monster fell out of the trees and landed with a squelch on the mulchy floor.

A startled scream drew Gajeel's attention and he peered down from the trees to see Lucy standing over the body of the fallen creature, a hand clasped over her mouth.

* * *

Lucy looked down at the obscene creature that had fallen at her feet. Her hand flew to her whip and she waited for the thing to move, but when it didn't, Lucy allowed herself a closer inspection. To say that the monkey/bird/bat tribrid was ugly would be an understatement. Lucy thought she had seen some gruesome creatures on her previous missions, but they paled in comparison to the hideous thing at her feet. Lucy felt bile rise in her throat. Not only was the dead thing on the ground hair-raising, Lucy had a sickening feeling that the creatures would only get uglier, smellier, and more vicious the further into the forest she ventured.

Suddenly, Lucy remembered that the creature was _dead_. It fell out of the trees after something struck it. The way its neck was turned told Lucy that the creature didn't happen to simply die of its own accord. Her eyes flew up to the canopy, scanning the leaves for movement. Nothing. All was still. Whatever killed the creature was either hiding or had already fled. Lucy watched the leaves for a few more seconds before stepping around the body and continuing her path through the woods.

Pulling out a silver key, Lucy grasped it and whispered, "Pyxis." The key briefly warmed up in her palm and the sound of tinkling bells echoed through the Woods. The Compass spirit popped into existence by Lucy's side.

"Pyxis, can you please point me East? That's where the river is," she asked her spirit.

Above her, hidden behind leaves, Gajeel scoffed. He could have sniffed out the river in no time. As if to prove a point, he stuck his nose in the air and inhaled deeply. Rightly enough, the scent was coming from the East, but it was so terribly faint that Gajeel was worried he was imagining the smell. If the river was in fact there, it was a day's walk away at the least, which meant Lucy would have to camp out in the Woods.

"Fuck," Gajeel grumbled softly. He didn't want to spend a night sleeping on a branch. He then quickly clamped his mouth shut and peered down. The Woods were so quiet that even a soft whisper was audible and Gajeel was worried that maybe Lucy had heard him. When she showed no sign of having heard anything, he sighed in relief.

Lucy followed the direction Pyxis had pointed her in and she purposefully marched through the Woods.

 _This isn't so bad! Trust Natsu to exaggerate…_ Lucy chuckled to herself. She shook her head ruefully, glancing around to admire the way the morning sun filtered in through the leaves. It was quiet and uneventful for several hours and a false sense of security settled over Lucy. She was blissfully unaware that the Woods were watching her every move, and the creatures that lurked amidst the thick foliage were simply waiting for the moment that Lucy let her guard down.

The sun had moved behind her as Lucy continued her pursuit east when she heard a rustling in the trees. Lucy whipped her head around, eyes urgently searching the forest. From somewhere to her side, just outside her field of vision, Lucy heard a guttural snarl. Before she had a chance to react, a pair of arms wound around her waist, yanking her back.

* * *

"Regulus Impact!"

A brilliant flash of golden light burst through the forest, sending a particularly large rhino-wolf hybrid flying into a tree. The tree splintered with the impact, effectively skewering the beast. From behind her, Lucy heard more thumps as smaller creatures limply hit the floor.

Loke and Virgo were kicking and punching the last wave of monsters, and soon the growls reverberating off the trees faded into silence.

"What the hell, Lucy?! If I wasn't paying attention, you'd have been something's dinner! You wouldn't have been able to call me in time! You know that, right? By the time you reached for my key, you'd have been limbless! You _need_ to be more careful, Princess!" Loke yelled.

Lucy flinched back, watching his pretty face furrow in anger.

"Yes, Princess. If Loke hadn't sensed danger and alerted us, it might have been very bad for you," Virgo added gently.

"I- I'm sorry, guys…" Lucy mumbled ashamedly. "I wasn't being careful. I know that. But I'll do better, I swear. And thank you. Thank you so much for coming when you did and for having my back," she said sincerely.

She held her hands out, holding both Loke and Virgo's hands in hers.

A somewhat pacified Loke squeezed her hand affectionately.

"I mean, it's not like I'm the only one who has-" he started before a low growl from up in the trees cut him off. Loke had sensed Gajeel's presence the minute he materialised in the Woods. His eyes flitted up, just barely making out the figure of the Dragon Slayer hidden in the leaves. Gajeel was looking at him intently and when he made eye contact with the spirit, he shook his head.

Loke nodded imperceptibly before turning to Lucy.

"Only one what?" Lucy asked, urging him to continue.

"Your spirits. All your spirits are keeping an eye on you and have your back," Loke said smoothly.

Lucy smiled sweetly at her friends.

From up in the trees, Gajeel watched Lucy assure her spirits that she would be careful and he watched them vanish back to the Celestial world.

Lucy then ran through the trees, away from the site of the fight, before she found a large rock several feet away. She scampered up onto it and sat down heavily. Gajeel, who'd followed her closely, watched her knees tremble even though she was sitting. She was scared. He could smell the fear rolling off her. He sat on a branch, keeping her in his direct line of sight, and he watched her calm herself down. She took several deep breaths, inhaling slowly through her nose and purposefully out through her mouth. Slowly, her knees stopped shaking and her breath returned to normal.

It had been a close call. Gajeel had been on the ground and ten feet away from Lucy when Loke appeared and pulled her away. For a minute, Gajeel was convinced that Lucy had seen him. He knew he'd have gotten to her before the monster had, but still, he'd cut it too close. He kept waiting for her to jump into action, but she never did. She hadn't been paying attention, and Gajeel shuddered at the thought of what might have happened had neither he nor her spirits reacted quickly enough.

 _Fucking Bunny girl… Why can't she be more attentive?!_ Gajeel thought angrily to himself. He glared at Lucy, still perched on her rock.

He saw the blonde wordlessly summon her compass spirit again.

"How far is the river, Pyxis?" she asked the funny looking thing.

The spirit chirped unintelligibly, but Lucy seemed to have understood what it said.

"Another day?! That far? Okay, well, I'll walk on for a couple more hours before making camp, I guess…" Lucy shrugged before letting her spirit go.

She slid off the rock and resumed walking east.

* * *

This time, Lucy was ready. Two creatures leapt at her from the side while another one attacked her front. Lucy snapped her whip, lashing the one coming head-on in the face as she rapidly summoned Taurus and Sagittarius. Between the three of them, they were able to face the onslaught of monsters that suddenly came their way. Lucy used her whip to send monsters towards Taurus's swinging axe. The ones that managed to slip by were soon cut down by Sagittarius's precise arrows. Lucy's whip was flying faster than she could process, and the exertion was depleting her magic energy, but she held on. Her whip cut deep into the faces and flanks of the gory creatures that were launching themselves at her. Purple ichor dripped off her whip and her brow was coated in sweat. Her spirits were equally riled up, cutting down monsters on all sides, although their faces didn't show the same signs of strain that Lucy's did.

Finally, the onslaught ceased. Taurus and Sagitarrius stood by Lucy, the three scanning the forest for more bodies. After several minutes of silence, Lucy felt confident in sending her spirits back to their realm. Once alone, Lucy looked around. Thick, purple liquid oozed out of the slain bodies and soaked into the ground. The creatures lying haphazardly around her were amalgamations of various animals, almost as if every animal had been torn apart and rearranged. Lucy felt a wave of nausea, and clamping a hand over her mouth, she broke out into a sprint, desperate to get away from the sight and stench.

Gajeel too was routinely knocking down the monsters that were swinging through the trees, but he wasn't much use when it came to helping Lucy fight the monsters on the ground. After the fight alongside Taurus and Sagittarius, Lucy encountered swell after swell of monsters, and though it took a severe toll on her magic energy, Lucy resorted to keeping Loke's gate open. The Lion spirit walked beside Lucy, fending off the creatures before they had the chance to come too close. With needing to stop and fight off creatures every few hundred meters, it was nearly dark before Lucy found a space to make camp. Loke had insisted on her stopping for the day over an hour ago, but Lucy was adamant to make some more progress.

Her camping ground was a small clearing, ringed by trees and rocks. It restricted Lucy's movement, but it also slowed down any oncoming attacker. After a quick scout of the clearing, a satisfied Lucy pitched her tent and arranged logs for a fire.

"I've never missed Natsu more," Lucy grumbled to herself as she struggled to light the fire. The cold was biting and her gloved hands trembled.

"Let me stay, Lucy. You sleep, I'll stay up and keep watch," Loke insisted for the fifth time.

"Loke, I can't keep your gate open while I'm asleep, and if you stay here on your own magical power, you won't be much help in fighting monsters tomorrow," Lucy stated matter-of-factly. "Finally!" she exclaimed when the logs caught fire. Warmth immediately spread across her.

"You underestimate my strength, Princess. I stayed in your world for _three years_. I can manage one night," Loke said, rolling his eyes. He moved closer to the fire too, warming his palms.

"No. I won't let you unnecessarily drain your power like that. You go back and I'll call you if I need you," Lucy put her foot down.

"It's hardly unnecessary!" Loke began shouting, but when Lucy glared at him firmly, he pressed his lips together in a thin, angry line.

"I'm keeping an eye on you all night. And not because it'll be exciting to see you undress. I'm doing it for your safety," he huffed.

Lucy's eyes widened dramatically. "Loke, if you watch me undress I will slaughter you! I will bury you three hundred feet underground and I will have Virgo chain you there forever! Don't even joke about this, Loke! I am dead seri-" Lucy screamed, waving her hands manically until Loke pressed a finger to her lips.

"Can you stop yelling? It's like you _want_ monsters to find you… And I'm not going to watch you undress, I swear. I'm just going to make sure you're safe, so please Princess, stop having a meltdown in the middle of a terrifying forest," Loke shook his head condescendingly.

Lucy inhaled sharply and pressed her mouth shut. She nodded before whispering a soft "Thank you."

"Anytime, Princess," Loke winked before getting up and taking a few steps away from Lucy.

"Take care of her," he mumbled softly. Lucy was too preoccupied with keeping herself warm to have noticed his whispered statement. Loke, however, knew Gajeel was somewhere in the trees, and he knew Gajeel could hear him. The Dragon Slayer responded with a low, calm exhale. Satisfied, Loke disappeared back to the Celestial realm, but not before giving the clearing a final once-over.

* * *

Lucy sat by the fire for a while, eating her dinner in silence. The Woods were eerily quiet and her every sense was on high alert. Her eyes kept flitting over the ring of trees, watching for movement. The firelight created strange shadows and Lucy scared herself more than once, seeing figures in the shapes cast by the light. She was sorely tempted to call one of her spirits and have them sit with her, but she didn't want to raise a false alarm, and so she did nothing. Her hand was tightly curled around her whip as she finished the last of her sandwich, and then, at lightning speed, Lucy darted into her tent and zipped it shut.

Her breath was uneven and her heart was pounding.

 _That was undoubtedly the most stressful dinner of my life_ , Lucy sighed shakily. She slipped into her sleeping bag, curling up in its warmth. She forced her eyes shut, trying to fill her brain with white noise to drown out the deathly silence outside.

Just as sleep attempted to envelop her, she heard leaves rustling outside. She cracked an eye open just in time to see a four-legged creature creep past her tent. Lucy held her breath, her hand tightly clutching Loke's key. But the creature simply circled the tent once and walked away. Not a minute later, however, another monster walked by Lucy's tent. This one stood on two legs with pointy wings emerging from its back. The silhouette itself was frightening enough, and Lucy was in no mood to learn what it actually looked like.

Suddenly, Lucy missed Natsu more than anything. She missed having him there, because he'd have either cracked a joke to take her mind off the monsters walking around her, or he'd have gone outside and roasted the bastards.

But instead, Lucy was alone. Terrified and sitting up in her sleeping bag, Lucy shook as more creatures began appearing.

And then one ran a sharp nail along the canvas of the tent.

Lucy's shriek broke the still night air and she cried for Loke, who appeared in an instant.

"I'll take care of it, Princess," he declared. His hand was on the tent zipper when the pair heard a strangled cry from outside followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor. Lucy could just about make out a figure outside, apparently battering through the hoard of monsters.

"Actually, I think it's already under control," Loke said with a knowing smirk. He sat down next to Lucy and held her hand. "I'll stay in here with you until it quietens down outside, but I think you'll be fine," he grinned.

Lucy looked at her spirit, confused. "Who's out there, Loke?" she asked suspiciously.

"Give it a minute and go see for yourself," the orange-haired spirit shrugged.

More muffled groans and cries reverberated through the Woods and the sound of limp bodies falling and scurrying feet bounced off the trees. As every second ticked past, the cacophony outside lessened until the only sound Lucy could hear was heavy breathing. She looked quizzically at Loke who nodded his head. Lucy slid out of her sleeping bag and hesitantly walked to the tent door.

Her fingers lightly gripped the zipper and she turned around to see Loke give her a last encouraging nod before disappearing in a twinkle of golden light. Lucy's hand trembled as she pulled the zip down and slowly pushed open the tent flap.

The first thing Lucy saw was the glowing embers of her campfire. Between the dim light they cast off and the pale light of the crescent moon, Lucy could make out the mangled shapes of various monsters strewn across the forest floor. And there, standing amidst this carnage, was a dark, heaving figure.

Lucy's breath caught in her throat as her eyes slowly adjusted to the low light. Her gaze traveled up the figure until it met a pair of brilliant red eyes, staring back at her. The silvery moonlight glinted off of metal studs and Lucy saw full lips twist into a grimace.

"Ga- Gajeel?" Lucy choked out, hovering at the entrance to her tent.

"Damn it, Bunny. Do you now see why everyone was telling you that it was a bad idea to come alone?!" the Iron Dragon Slayer barked, wiping sweat from his brow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it kinda damsel-in-distress, the-woman-can't-take-care-of-herself-and-needs-a-strong-man? Yes. And trust me, I generally dislike that trope as much as the next self-respecting feminist. But really, canonically, though Lucy is kinda strong, I seriously doubt she'd be able to take on several monsters flying at her. The intent isn't to make her helpless and weak, but a forest full of monsters isn't something that suits Lucy's skillset, imo. However, like I said, action is not my forte and that might be why I'm falling into these stereotypes, so please leave me your thoughts and let me know if this chapter worked for you or nah!


	3. Chapter 3

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Lucy screeched. She marched up to Gajeel and hit him in the shoulder.

"Excuse me? I fucking saved your goddamn ass and you thank me by _hitting_ me? Some fucking gratitude would be nice," Gajeel snarled.

"I didn't ask for your help. And I had the situation under control. I had already called Loke," Lucy stated with a defiant flip of her hair.

"Right, okay. _Under control._ Sure. I heard you screaming bloody murder inside your tent. Those suckers would have ripped a hole through your tent and had their claws elbow deep inside you before Loke could have even reacted. The only reason they didn't was because I got to you right as that one fucker ran its talon over your tent. I heard you call Loke and I heard Loke show up, and I know that, had I not been there, that split second would have been enough for you to become monster chow," Gajeel ranted.

Lucy rolled her eyes. Gajeel seemed to be giving himself too much credit, but she couldn't deny that it was a close call. She _was_ grateful that he took care of the monsters, but her ego was bruised too deeply for her to admit it.

"Fine. Thanks," she said flatly. She didn't want him thinking that he was some sort of knight in shining armour.

"Whatever," he huffed back.

"What are you even doing here?" Lucy snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. She was freezing, but she hoped Gajeel hadn't noticed the way her body was gently trembling. He _had_ noticed, but seeing as he lacked a coat of any kind, he didn't know what to offer her. So he decided to ignore her shaking for the time being.

"I'm- I'm just-" Gajeel blanked.

 _So much for coming up with a believable lie,_ Gajeel thought to himself.

"Natsu sent you, didn't he? Natsu, and Gray, and Erza. They sent you. I can't believe this… I can't believe that they have such little faith in me. Fucking brilliant!" Lucy threw her hands up in frustration. "My own friends think I'm a useless weakling and so they send this big, burly bodyguard to watch over me and protect me from the monsters. Goddamnit... Fucking astounding," Lucy let out a low, sardonic whistle.

"I offered," Gajeel said carefully.

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"They were worried about you, but they didn't want to follow you. They knew it would break your trust. So I offered. They didn't ask, and they sure as hell didn't _send_ me here, like some fucking guard dog. I came here because I wanted to," Gajeel squared his shoulders.

Lucy barked out a short laugh. "And why do you care, huh? What's it to you that I'm here alone in the Woods?"

"I've been here before, Bunny girl. I know these Woods and I know just how nasty they can be. I wasn't going to let you fend for yourself."

"But why do _I_ get this special treatment?" Lucy probed.

"I'd have done it for anyone," Gajeel replied instantly.

"Even Natsu?" Lucy asked.

Gajeel nodded.

"Erza?"

Another nod.

"Wow, even Erza, huh? Okay, what about Gildarts?" Lucy's eyes twinkled as the conversation began veering towards humour.

Gajeel chuckled. "If Gildarts was coming to the North Woods, I'd tell the monsters to run and hide. That man is quite something."

Lucy's eyes softened with admiration and respect. "He really is," she said dreamily.

"Woah, stop fantasizing about him while I'm still standing here!" Gajeel stuck his tongue out in disgust.

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. "I'm not fantasizing about him! Don't be fucking gross, Gajeel! He's old enough to be my dad, and contrary to popular opinion, I don't, in fact, have daddy issues!" she shrieked.

A wicked thought crossed Gajeel's mind and the words were tumbling out of his lips before he could stop them. "So, there's no one you'd call _daddy_? Not even in the bedroom?" his voice was low and seductive, his eyes glinting sensually.

Lucy's face flushed and her mouth began gaping like a fish. Gajeel instantly felt a little embarrassed.

"Calm down, Bunny. I was kidding," he mumbled awkwardly.

"I know," Lucy huffed indignantly. "I am calm. And I'm exhausted. I have a long day ahead of me, so I need to sleep," Lucy spun on her heel.

Then, quickly turning back around, she looked at Gajeel. "Where's your tent?" she asked.

Gajeel shrugged. "I don't have one. I was gonna sleep in a tree or against a rock or something," he said with a vague wave of his hand.

Lucy's features rearranged themselves to reflect her extreme and utter bafflement. "A _tree_?! Are you out of your mind?! God, Gajeel, why would you sleep in a tree?!" she asked, jaw hitting the floor.

"I don't get cold easily, and I don't like lugging around a tent. I'm fine in trees," Gajeel reassured.

But Lucy wasn't having any of it. She shook her head violently. "Absolutely not. In my tent. Now," she ordered firmly.

"I'm not gonna share your tent, Lucy! That's hardly appropriate!" Gajeel began backing away. He desperately wanted to make a crass joke, but it didn't seem like the right moment.

Lucy strode forward and gripped his arm. "Firstly, it's not like we're gonna do anything. Secondly, you won't be in my sleeping bag, dummy. You'll sleep on the floor. And third, who's here to see us share a tent? Stop being a fucking prude," she chastised.

Gajeel frowned. "I'm not a prude," he grumbled, but let Lucy drag him to the tent.

* * *

"Maybe I should stay up and take the first watch? In case the monsters come back?" Lucy suggested tentatively. She was curled up in her sleeping bag, lying on her side. Gajeel was pressed against the tent wall, having put as much space between them as he could. Lucy's blanket was draped over him, with her bag under his head as a pillow. He too was on his side, facing Lucy.

"Not after the massacre. They won't be back tonight," Gajeel assured confidently.

Lucy nodded. Several moments passed in silence.

"Are you sure you're not cold?" Lucy asked. She was chilly, even inside her warm, insulated sleeping bag.

"Yep. I'm good," Gajeel replied gruffly.

"Okay. Uh, goodnight Gajeel," Lucy whispered into the darkness.

"Goodnight Bunny girl," Gajeel replied awkwardly.

It took Lucy many minutes of tossing and turning in the dark, but soon, sleep washed over her. Maybe it was the knowledge that Gajeel was just a couple feet away from her, but Lucy slept incredibly restfully.

At some point in the middle of the night, Lucy woke up to hear the sound of teeth chattering. She blinked as her eyes adjusted, and she saw Gajeel's shadowy figure curled into a tight ball. It was ridiculously cold, and Lucy's three coats and two pairs of socks were not helping as much as they should have. Still, Lucy's sleeping bag was warm, and when inside it, she didn't feel too bad. In comparison, she couldn't imagine how cold Gajeel was. Half asleep, she slipped out of her sleeping bag, shivering at the sudden cold air. She shrugged off one of her coats and gently placed it over Gajeel. Within seconds, his teeth stopped chattering and his body began unfurling itself. He pulled the coat around him tightly before a soft, content sigh left his lips.

Lucy smiled gently, crawling back into the warmth of her sleeping bag. With a final look at Gajeel, Lucy let sleep take her once more.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Bunny girl! The quicker you get a move on, the quicker we can leave this damn place," Gajeel boomed.

Lucy jolted up, rubbing her eyes. Gajeel was kneeling down and tying his laces. He looked wide awake and fully ready. Lucy pouted at having been woken up so early. It was still dark outside.

"What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

"It is 4:30am, so if we get to walking, we can stop for breakfast and still make it to the river before noon," Gajeel said.

Lucy wasn't going to comment on why he knew so much about her mission. She didn't doubt that he'd probably overheard everything she'd said since they entered the Woods. What she didn't know was that, in reality, he'd heard everything she'd said since they left Magnolia.

"We can afford to sleep for another hour, Gajeel. And plus, what makes you think you're coming with me? It'll be daylight for the rest of my mission, and I don't need your help anymore. I promise to be safe. So thank you, but I will see you back at the guild," Lucy declared before laying back down and turning away from him.

Suddenly, a rough hand grabbed her shoulder and flipped her. Gajeel's face was inches from her own, his deep red eyes intently looking into her brown ones.

"Not a chance, Bunny. I made a commitment to keep you safe, and I don't intend to break it. So the only way I'm going back to Magnolia is with you, whether you like it or not. I won't interfere with your mission unless I have no choice, and I won't get in your way. I will sit in the trees and keep an eye on you, because, like it or not, these Woods are a death trap. Day or night doesn't matter, you're at risk either way. I swear, I will only step in if you're a second away from death, but there's no way I'm leaving you alone. Got that?" he dropped his voice to a whisper at the end, bringing his face even closer to Lucy's.

She felt his breath ghost over her lips, and a delicious shiver ran up her spine. Swallowing thickly, Lucy nodded. Her gaze involuntarily flicked down to Gajeel's mouth and she poked out her tongue, lightly wetting her lips. Gajeel smirked when he saw her lick her lips and he held back the deep, appreciative growl that threatened to emanate from his chest. With a final, gentle exhale across her face, Gajeel stood up.

"Get dressed," he ordered firmly before ducking out of the tent.

* * *

It was still cold as Lucy and Gajeel trudged side by side through the forest. And it was still dark. On more than one occasion, Gajeel's hand shot out to grab Lucy's arm and stop her from falling face first into the ground. And on exactly two occasions, Gajeel roughly shoved Lucy to the side before turning his arm into a sword and driving it into some ugly creature's stomach.

The sun had begun peeking over the horizon as they walked towards it. Faint streaks of orange painted the sky, and Lucy no longer feared tripping over a root and hurtling towards the forest floor. The leaves crinkled loudly under their feet, but besides that, the forest seemed incredibly peaceful. Walking like this, in comfortable silence, Lucy almost forgot that monsters lurked mere feet away. She turned to look at Gajeel. He noticed her movement and met her gaze. She smiled softly when their eyes connected, and Gajeel began to return it when his eyes snapped up to above Lucy's head. Before Lucy could whip her head around and look, Gajeel grabbed her waist and pulled her into him. Lucy looked over her shoulder just in time to see a leopard with the face of a bear leap out of a tree. Gajeel spun them both, shielding Lucy with his body. His body turned to iron and Lucy pressed her face into his cool, solid chest. The sound of claws scraping against metal grated Lucy's ears and she shuddered. Still holding Lucy to his chest, Gajeel threw an ironed arm behind him, hitting the monster in its side. The man quickly spun again and slammed his foot into the creature's back and Lucy heard the sickening sound of bone breaking. A feral cry tore through the creature and purple ichor dripped from its mouth. Gajeel raised his foot again, this time bringing it down on the creature's neck. Again, Lucy heard bones snap, and the monster wheezed shakily. It looked up at the pair with night-black eyes that were filled with mindless rage. But it didn't move. It stayed on the ground and Lucy watched that rage drain out with the blood seeping from its mouth. Within a minute, the creature's eyes went blank and its breathing stopped.

Gajeel was still holding Lucy as his body changed back to warm flesh. Lucy's hands were fisted in his shirt and her cheek was pressed to his collarbone. She didn't know why she was shaking. It wasn't the first time she'd seen a monster killed in front of her. Maybe it was the incessant assault of monster after monster, or the frightening thought of what might have happened to her had Gajeel not been there, but in any case, Lucy was rattled. She didn't let go of Gajeel until he delicately stroked her hair.

"You okay, Bunny?" he asked softly.

Lucy pushed away from him and pressed cool palms to her face. She nodded numbly.

"Thank you, Gajeel. I- I didn't even hear it. I could have… I could have died," she whispered, in shock.

Gajeel laughed. "Lucy, this is not the first time you almost died on this mission. Between me and your spirits, we've been saving your ass since minute one."

Lucy glared at him half-heartedly. "Whatever, smartass," she grunted before marching away.

Gajeel strode alongside her, briefly draping an arm over her shoulder. "Consider it me repaying the favour. It was nice of you to give me your coat last night," Gajeel looked down at her and winked before removing his arm from around her.

Much to Lucy's displeasure, she blushed. "You were cold. I wouldn't have left you to freeze," she mumbled.

"And I'm not gonna leave you to die. Let's call it even," Gajeel smirked before facing forward.

The pair fell back into their easy silence. They soldiered on towards the river, walking far enough from the other so as to not intrude in each other's space, but close enough for their hands to occasionally brush. They were both telling themselves that it was happening by accident. They were both hoping that they were wrong.

* * *

The sun was right above them and all the chill from a few hours ago was long gone. The Woods had turned into a sweltering, humid, hot nightmare.

"No wonder none of these damn monsters have come for us over the last couple hours! They're all hiding in bushes, trying to get away from this fucking heat!" Lucy grumbled agitatedly.

Gajeel didn't have the heart to tell her that he could hear the monsters all around them, lurking behind the trees, watching the pair's every step. He wasn't sure why they weren't attacking, but he was anticipating quite the showdown when they reached the river. Instead, he huffed his agreement. It _was_ absurdly hot.

"How much longer to the river, Gajeel?" Lucy whined.

"How should I know? Ask your damn spirit," Gajeel snapped back. He didn't like humidity. It made his iron feel weird.

"Jeez, no need to be so fucking grumpy… I asked because I thought you could smell this shit, and I need to conserve my magic energy," Lucy said with a roll of her eyes. She subtly took a step away from the irritated man, but he noticed, and it only irritated him more.

"I'm not fucking grumpy," he growled. "I just don't like humidity. And the river is maybe an hour away, since obviously I'm not only your bodyguard but also your personal compass."

Lucy stopped in her tracks and glared at him. The heat wasn't doing much for her mood either.

"I fucking told you to go back to Magnolia! But no! You needed to be a bull-headed asshole and crash my job! And now you're whining about it? If you hate it so much, it's not too late to leave!" Lucy screamed, stomping her foot in anger.

Gajeel looked at her with burning eyes. "And what? Leave you to _die_?! Because I think we've proved it enough times that, without me, you'd have been dead! So you know what? You can deal with my fucking grumbling because, in return, I'm keeping you alive!" he shouted back.

"I don't need your bloody charity! If I die, I die! It's _my_ mission, and _my_ life on the line, and no one is asking for you to go out of your way to protect me! So please, if you hate the humidity so much and if you're going to bitch and moan about it, then leave! I hate the heat too but I'm not letting it spoil my mood!" Lucy screeched. And then, with a defeated sigh, her shoulders slumped. "It's hot. I feel gross. I'm scared. I'm tired. I'm trying to save my energy. I can't fight with you, Gajeel. I'm not gonna hold it against you if you want to leave. No one will blame you. And if I'm not back in a week, you know what's happened. At least I'd have died trying. So it's fine. Just go. It's fucking stupid to have a screaming match about the weather, and I can't waste my energy on it."

Gajeel's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected her bluntness.

"Wha- what? How can you even say that? I'd never leave you alone here. Fuck the heat and fuck my discomfort, none of that matters. I'm sorry I was bitching, but asking me to fuck off? Hell no, Bunny girl. And what the fuck are you on talking about you dying and shit? No fucking way. Fuck you, Lucy, don't ever say shit like that to me, understood? You and I are gonna deal with the heat, and we're gonna deal with each other whining, and we're gonna fuck up some bastard rogue spirit, and then we're going home. And we're doing all of this _together_. Cool?" He looked at her intently.

Lucy searched his eyes for several moments before nodding. "I'm sorry for shouting at you and asking you to leave," she said softly.

Gajeel's face relaxed into an easy smile. "No big deal, Bunny," he said with a wink.

Once again, they resumed their tedious walk towards the river. Lucy took a step closer to Gajeel, and Gajeel responded by subtly taking a step closer to her, and this time, their hands didn't just _occasionally_ brush. Instead, their pinky fingers were just barely intertwined - close enough for both of them to be aware of it, but still loose enough for either to pass it off as an accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm not updating as often as I normally do (that whole one chapter a day thing is exhausting!). I have a ton of work that's cropped up so I only write a little bit every day, and also, as with all my fics, I have no idea where this is going. We're just making it up as we go, but hopefully you are enjoying it and to those of you patiently waiting for smut, I will deliver on that, I promise. But I kinda want to draw out the tease so it may be another few chaps before we actually get to some sexy times.   
> Anywayyyy please please please comment! it just truly makes my day!


	4. Chapter 4

"Right. Where's this son of a bitch?" Gajeel asked, dropping his bag down on the ground. The river was a murky green and the air felt heavy and stifling.

"It should be around here somewhere…" Lucy muttered, her hand reaching for her gate keys. "Virgo!" she called.

With a chime, the spirit appeared before Lucy, clad in her signature maid's outfit.

"Is it punishment time, Princess?" she asked sweetly.

"No, Virgo. It's not punishment time," Lucy sighed tiredly. "Can you sense a spirit around here?"

Virgo looked around, attempting to discern another Celestial being. After several quiet moments, she faced Lucy.

"No Princess. No Celestial spirit here," she said definitively.

"Are you sure? There should be a rogue spirit in this area," Lucy insisted.

"Maybe. But it's not Celestial. It might be a nature spirit," Virgo offered helpfully.

From behind Lucy, Gajeel asked, "What the fuck is a nature spirit?"

"I don't think I'm the best person to answer that," Virgo replied, looking at Gajeel. Then, turning back to Lucy, Virgo bowed. "If that's all, Princess?"

"Yes, thank you, Virgo," Lucy said a little absentmindedly. _Not a celestial spirit? Then what the fuck am I doing here? Oh fuck…_

"Bunny gi-" Gajeel started, but Lucy held a finger up. Pulling out a silver key, she called, "Grandpa Crux?"

The wizened spirit materialised, hovering in the air in front of Lucy.

"Can you tell me about nature spirits, Grandpa Crux?" Lucy asked sweetly.

Without so much as a nod, the spirit's eyes fell shut and he began snoring softly. Gajeel groaned exasperatedly. He knew what was happening, but it was still irritating to see the spirit snooze.

Seconds ticked by in silence. Lucy waited patiently, and, a couple very slow minutes later, Grandpa Crux woke up.

"Nature spirits live in trees, mountains, rivers, oceans, deserts, and any other natural presence. They are guardian spirits. However, it is very rare that one encounters a nature spirit. They tend to remain secluded and do not enjoy interacting with beings. They are generally docile and gentle," he concluded.

"But is it possible that one could… I don't know, go rogue?" Lucy asked.

"Yes. It's possible," the spirit said simply.

"How?" she continued.

"Some books say that it happens when there's too much outside interference with nature. Others say it happens when the sun and moon align inauspiciously. No one has a definite answer," Crux explained.

"And, in that case, how would we stop a rogue spirit?" Lucy questioned.

Once more, the spirit fell asleep.

"Nature spirit? What the fuck? How have we never heard of this?" Gajeel groaned.

Lucy echoed his sentiment. "I don't know… I didn't think there were any other kind of spirits beyond Celestial ones. I don't even know if we can fight this thing," Lucy admitted hesitantly.

Gajeel merely shrugged in response.

"You can stop a rogue spirit," Grandpa Crux interrupted the pair. "You can either bathe it in the blood of an ancient dragon, or you can tie it to a tree with silver chains on a new moon night and leave it there until dawn. However, I must admit, neither method may work. Nature spirits are so rare that lore on them is sparse and unreliable."

And with that, the spirit promptly popped back to his realm.

"Silver chains shouldn't be much of an issue," Lucy started uncertainly.

"And if they don't work, we're gonna be stuck in a forest with several hideous creatures and a _very_ pissed off rogue spirit and no way to get our hands on ancient dragon blood," Gajeel said sardonically.

"Aren't you like four hundred years old or something?" Lucy tried.

"Fuck off, that doesn't count. Plus, more importantly, I'm not an overgrown lizard, so tough luck," Gajeel barked.

"It was worth a shot," the blonde chuckled.

"Let's fucking get this over with," Gajeel grumbled.

"Virgo!" Lucy called once more.

"Yes, Princess?" the pink-haired spirit asked, suddenly appearing next to Lucy.

"Can you sense a nature spirit?"

"One moment, Princess." Virgo looked around. "There's a spirit in the water." She pointed to a spot in the middle of the river.

"Okay, gr-" Lucy was cut off by a snarl.

"Oh fuck!" Gajeel yelled and Lucy whipped around to see the man skewer a large wolf/hippo.

Before Gajeel could shake the creature off, another one lunged at him from the side. And then another. And another. Gajeel maniacally tried fighting them all but he was beginning to flounder.

"Lucy! Some help, please?" he called.

Lucy immediately jumped to action.

"Virgo. Bury your way under the river and force the spirit out," she instructed. "Sagittarius!" Lucy called in the same breath. The archer instantly appeared. "Virgo is going to draw a spirit out. I need you to shoot it and immobilise it. Pin it to a tree for all I care, but it _cannot_ get away. Okay?"

"Of course, Miss Lucy," the archer snapped to attention, bow in hand, with an arrow notched and ready to fly.

"Taurus, your turn!" she boomed. Her magic energy was draining, but Lucy knew she had enough to see this through.

"Hello, Miss Lucy. You are looking very mooooving," Taurus flirted.

"Not now, Taurus! Help Sagitarrius restrain the spirit after Virgo drives it out," she yelled.

"Anything for you, Miss Lucy!" Taurus replied, getting into stance next to Sagitarrius.

Lucy knew she was pushing it, but still she gripped a fourth key.

"Loke! I need you!" she cried.

In a flash, the lion spirit appeared. "Four gates, Princess? You won't last!" he exclaimed.

"I'm fine!" Lucy gritted. "Gajeel needs our help!"

Without another word, Loke ran towards the struggling Dragon Slayer and pulled two monsters off of him.

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and channeled her magic energy. A daze of golden light swallowed her and she emerged a moment later, clad in her Taurus star dress. She ran behind Loke, kicking a monster out of her path.

She, Gajeel, and Loke formed a triangle, their back to each other, facing outwards.

"Regulus impact!"

"Iron Dragon roar!"

"Lucy kick!"

The three fought in unison, clearing every monster that lunged their way. But the number of monsters seemed endless. It's like they were spawning by the hundreds every second. Lucy saw monsters that she knew would haunt her for years to come. One particularly gruesome monster with the body of a boar, face of a rat, and talons of an eagle charged up to Lucy. Before she had the chance to punch it, the monster clawed Lucy's leg. She howled in pain as blood began to flow down her thigh.

"Damn it, Lucy! Are you okay?" Gajeel yelled while clobbering a monster.

"Yes, just focus," Lucy hissed, pushing the pain to the back of her mind.

The tribrid monster was lunging for Lucy again when an inhuman scream pierced the forest.

Like magic, every monster turned tail and vanished into the depths of the Woods. The three turned to the river in time to see a jet of water explode out, bringing the loud scream with it. Lucy saw Sagitarrius send three arrows flying into the jet of water, which may not have been the best idea, because suddenly, the water changed direction and went right towards Sagitarrius. The archer sent a few more arrows flying into the water, but that did nothing more than briefly slow it down. It wasn't until Taurus jumped into the water and emerged with a writhing spirit pinned under his large bovine body did anyone get a good look at what the spirit was.

"Virgo, can you get me silver chains?" Lucy asked.

"For punishment?" her spirit replied enthusiastically. But when Lucy shot her a tired look, Virgo simply nodded and vanished.

"Sagitarrius, you can go now too if you want. Thank you!" Lucy said sincerely. With a bow, the archer vanished as well, right as Virgo popped back into existence, holding a length of silver chain.

"Taurus, pin the spirit against a tree, please. And Virgo, you can tie the spirit with the chains," Lucy delegated.

Virgo chortled with delight, spinning the chains around excitedly.

More horrifying, sharp shrieks left the spirit as Taurus used all his strength to hold it against the tree. Virgo made quick work of the chains, securely binding the spirit to the wood.

"Thank you, guys," Lucy said gratefully, and with that, the two vanished.

The triad walked towards the spirit. It struggled against its bonds, snarling at them angrily. Lucy stared at the spirit in rapture. She couldn't tell if it was a beautiful boy or a pretty girl, but the spirit had speckled, deep blue skin and large, night black eyes. Its hair was a murky green and fell to the base of the spirit's neck in tangled waves. Its blue lips were pulled back around sharpened white teeth and the late afternoon sun glinted off its high cheekbones. Long, green lashes fluttered every time the spirit blinked.

The rest of the spirit reminded Lucy of Juvia. It seemed as though the spirit's body was made out of water as it undulated and swirled against the bonds. Slashes resembling gills decorated the sides of the spirit's genderless, naked frame.

Unconsciously, Lucy reached out to touch the spirit.

"Princess, no!" Loke cried, reaching for her hand and pulling it back. "We don't know anything about this, so best not to go touching it," he suggested.

"Is it like you?" Lucy asked softly.

Loke looked at the spirit quizzically. "I'm not sure… Maybe. I've never sensed magic energy like this, but still, it's a little familiar. As if this energy is a distant cousin of my energy," Loke explained simply.

Lucy nodded.

"Well then. We'll keep this sucker locked up here, catch a quick snooze, and tomorrow we can all be on our way!" Gajeel clapped his hands together.

"Right," Lucy replied before she suddenly remembered something. "Loke, when's the next new moon?" she asked apprehensively.

"In three days. Why?" he responded.

Lucy's shoulders fell. "It's nothing. Thanks Loke. You can head back if you want," she placed a gentle, affectionate hand on his arm.

"Are you sure, Princess? I can stay…" the lion spirit offered.

"No, it's okay… I'll- I'll figure it out," she replied.

With a nod, Loke chimed back to the celestial realm, leaving Lucy and Gajeel in front of the spirit. The pair looked at each other for several long moments. Lucy opened her mouth to speak, taking a step towards Gajeel, but the only sound that left her throat was a strangled cry. Suddenly, Lucy crumpled to the ground. In a flash, Gajeel was by her side and scooping her into his arms. Watched by the hateful eyes of the bound spirit, Gajeel carried Lucy to a nearby rock, where the spirit was still within their line of sight. As he put her down, her clothes changed back into her standard tank top and shorts.

"Shit, Lucy. I forgot you were hurt," he whispered, gently examining the wound. Retrieving a canteen of water from his bag, Gajeel cleaned the blood from Lucy's leg. She hissed as the water flowed over the wound, wincing at the sting.

"Sorry," Gajeel mumbled, at which Lucy just shook her head, teeth gritted and eyes clenched shut.

"How bad is it?" she whimpered. Gajeel could smell pain and fear dripping from her pores.

"Not bad," he promised. "It's deep, but I don't think it's infected. Let's get you back to town and we'll anyway get a doctor to look at it, but I think you'll be okay," he assured her.

"I won't lose my leg?" Lucy asked with a shaky laugh.

Gajeel chuckled. "Not today, at least."

"Okay, well, let's tie it up and hopefully it can go three days without needing medicine," Lucy said hopefully.

Gajeel reached back into his bag to pull out scrap cloth before he fully processed what she'd said. His jaw clenched and he bit his tongue as he wrapped a torn piece of his T-shirt around Lucy's thigh. She groaned softly as he bandaged the wound, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Her nails dug into her palm, knuckles white over her tightened fist. She wasn't going to let those tears fall.

And then, with tenderness that shocked her, Gajeel gently ran the pads of his fingers over her thigh. Delicately, caringly, he caressed her injured leg before patting her calf.

"All done. Now, back to the idiotic fucking thing you said," he started. He got on both knees in front of Lucy and looked her dead in the eye. "You are a dumbass if you think we're staying in this place for another _three_ days. I get that that's when the new moon is, and I know that bastard," Gajeel gestured towards the feral spirit, "needs to be tied up until then, but no fucking way does that mean we're staying here with it. We're going to the village, staying at the inn, showering, eating a few decent meals, getting a couple nights of sleep, and we'll come back on the day of the new moon. This isn't up for discussion," he said with finality.

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose between two fingers and laughed humorlessly.

"Listen, Gajeel. I really, _really_ appreciate everything you've done for me. You're right, I would have been dead by now without you. But this is _my_ job, and I call the shots. And I say that I'm staying right here and watching that spirit for the next three days, because I will see this job through and I will do it correctly. If you want a bed and a shower, by all means, please go back to the village. You can come back on the night of the new moon, or I can see you in the village when I'm all done here, but I'm staying. Don't fight me on this, and don't try changing my mind. We are not having this conversation again." Lucy looked up at him with fire in her eyes.

Gajeel considered retaliating, but the steely determination in her gaze stopped him.

"Well, I'm not leaving you alone, so fine. Fuck it. Guess I can wait to get a good night's sleep," he grumbled, pushing himself off the ground. He knew he didn't _have_ to stay, but he also knew he'd never forgive himself if he left. And so, Gajeel unenthusiastically resigned himself to a few more cold nights in the Woods.

"I'm gonna go see if I can find some medicinal leaves for your wound," he said flatly, turning away from the blonde. While he wasn't going to leave, he didn't need to pretend to be having a good time by staying.

"I'll do something for lunch," Lucy called after him.

"Just ask Virgo to get me some iron," he said over his shoulder. "And don't fucking move," he barked.

"Yes sir," Lucy mumbled sarcastically under her breath.

* * *

Gajeel had, in fact, managed to find a plant that would stave off an infection. Lucy was a little surprised at how self-sufficient he was, but then she thought about Natsu and realised that, in his own way, he was quite independent as well.

 _It couldn't have been easy, having been abandoned by their parents when they were all so young,_ Lucy thought to herself.

Gajeel ground the leaves into a paste and smeared it over Lucy's wound, much to her chagrin. The paste burned as it entered the deep cut, destroying traces of poison and bacteria. Lucy howled in pain, spewing a stream of profanities, which forced Gajeel to clamp a palm over her mouth while he dressed her injury singlehandedly.

After lunch the two sat on a blanket, distracting themselves with a game. Gajeel's fingers were arranged in upside-down L's, forefingers on the ground, thumbs touching one another, in the shape of a goal. Lucy sat across from him, flicking stones between his fingers. Eventually they'd switch, and Gajeel would flick stones into Lucy's goalpost.

"I haven't seen a single monster in my while," Lucy commented.

"I think it has something to do with ugly over there," Gajeel responded, jerking his head towards the spirit. Lucy looked at it and it glared back angrily. It had stopped snarling, but would still occasionally growl or spit purple ichor when either Gajeel or Lucy gave it any attention.

"I think it's beautiful," Lucy whispered. Though menacing and frightening, there was something strikingly enticing about the spirit. Gajeel turned to inspect the spirit before grunting noncommittally.

"But yeah, I think you're right. Maybe the monsters are scared of it…" Lucy suggested.

"Wish we knew more about these things," the Dragon Slayer shrugged. "Must be powerful as hell if the fucking monsters don't like it either."

"But silver? That's all it takes to stop it?" Lucy asked in bafflement.

"Let's hope so," Gajeel sighed.

Lucy made a small sound in the back of her throat before flicking a stone towards Gajeel. It bounced off his thumb and ricocheted towards the river. Lucy watched it drop into the river, causing tiny waves. She had hoped that, by restraining the spirit, the water would become clean, but it had been a few hours and it was still very murky.

"I could really use a bath," she sighed wistfully, staring at the swamp green water.

"You want to bathe in the river?" Gajeel asked incredulously.

"Ew, no. No, I just wanted a bath in general," Lucy shrugged.

"Give me a minute," Gajeel said before quickly jumping up and scampering up a nearby tree. Lucy watched him leap through the branches until he disappeared into the thick foliage.

As promised, a minute later, Gajeel landed back on the ground and sauntered up to Lucy.

"I can smell a pond a couple miles away. The water smells clean and it shouldn't take you long to get there. You can go first and when you're back, I'll go," he offered.

Lucy hesitated. She felt embarrassed to admit it, but with her banged up leg and poor sense of direction, she was scared she'd get lost and hurt. Plus, she was exhausted and didn't think she could fight anymore monsters, were they to attack. But she couldn't ask Gajeel to come with her. It would be an imposition.

He noticed her uncertainty anyway, and asked, "What's wrong? Want me to go first and ensure it's okay?"

Lucy shook her head.

"Then? What is it?" he probed.

"I don't want to go by myself. My leg hurts and I can't fight and I'd get lost," she admitted shamefully.

"Oh," Gajeel replied dumbly. If he was being honest with himself, the thought of accompanying Lucy for her bath did send blood shooting straight to his groin. But he ignored the underlying sensuality of her statement. She was scared and was innocently asking a friend to keep her company.

 _There is absolutely no need to be getting hard right now, you asshole,_ he chastised his penis.

"You don't have to come with me! It's okay! I'll be fine! Sorry!" Lucy said hurriedly. She felt very embarrassed.

"No! No, it's okay!" Gajeel jumped. "I don't mind. Better stay together anyway… You think we can leave the spirit alone?" he asked.

Lucy fumbled through her keys before pulling out a silver one.

"Horologium!" she called. In a flash, the clock spirit appeared before her. "Can you please watch this spirit? And trap it if it tries escaping?" Lucy asked.

Horologium bowed his head. "I will do my best, Miss Lucy," he vowed solemnly.

"Silver keys don't drain as much energy so I'll be fine keeping his gate open," Lucy whispered as an aside to Gajeel.

The pair pulled a clean set of clothes out of their bags and slung towels over the shoulders before setting off.

"Be good, Horologium!" Lucy called jovially, waving to her spirit.

The walk to the pond was entirely uneventful and Lucy felt more embarrassed than ever for having dragged Gajeel along. She could have done this by herself without an issue. But a tiny part of her pictured Gajeel without his shirt on and suddenly she didn't feel as guilty. He was attractive, there was no denying it. And while he frequently got on her nerves, Lucy was beginning to enjoy spending time with him, despite being stuck in the Woods.

They barely spoke on their walk. Gajeel was listening for the sound of monsters and Lucy was listening to the melodic whistle of wind rustling through the leaves.

"It should be right around here," Gajeel mumbled, pushing through some brambles. The last stretch had been a trek through thorny bushes and shrubbery, and though Lucy and Gajeel both tried avoiding it, their bodies were marred by thin, red scratches. Gajeel peered through a bush and exclaimed happily. Just beyond this bush was the most inviting looking pond he'd ever seen. He was ridiculously desperate for a soak, and suddenly, his muscles felt weary. All he wanted to do was sink into the cool water and lay there for days. Gajeel pushed the brambles aside and pressed his back against the thorns. His body acted as a barrier, allowing Lucy to pass through, unencumbered by the thorns. She threw a grateful look in his direction as she slid past, her chest brushing up against his.

"Holy shit…" she breathed softly as she took in the pristine, teal pond. It was lined by small rocks and dragonflies fluttered around lazily. It was surreal that a spot so beautiful existed within the otherwise horrifying North Woods. She turned to Gajeel, eyes twinkling excitedly. "I can't wait," she half-moaned and immediately began pulling her top off.

Gajeel looked at her slender waist and the tantalising swell of her breasts, spilling out over her modest, pink bra. He felt a rush of blood to his dick once more and he looked away awkwardly.

"Uh... I'll just go wait behind a bush or something then… Call when you're done," he fumbled.

"What? No, don't go!" Lucy reached out to grab his arm. "We've seen each other in our swimsuits, right? This'll be like that. It'll be quicker and safer if we stick together. Unless you have an issue with me being there while you bathe…" Lucy toyed with an errant strand of hair. She hoped she hadn't crossed a line, but also, it just didn't make sense for them to be apart. Not when they were still in the middle of these hellish woods, irrespective of how idyllic it may have seemed in the present moment.

Gajeel looked at her for a couple moments, wondering if she was joking or not. But when he found nothing but sincerity, and possibly a hint of trepidation, in her eyes, he swallowed audibly and nodded. Slowly, Gajeel reached for the hem of his shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly laugh at myself every time I try writing adventure. Like okay, this isn't as bad as it has been in the past, but for those of you who actively read adventure fics, I am terribly sorry for my subpar action sequence. I promise to make it up to you with delicious smut because that's what I'm good at. Anyway, please let me know what you thought, and be brutally honest as to just how poor my adventure writing is. I need all the feedback I can get!


	5. Chapter 5

Lucy wanted to avert her gaze. In fact, she tried very, very hard to do so, but her eyes were glued to Gajeel peeling his shirt off his body. The sweat and humidity had caused the thin fabric to stick to his skin, making it harder to pull the shirt off. Not that Lucy complained. Inch by sweaty inch, she watched Gajeel's chiseled abdomen and toned chest reveal itself to her. Her mouth fell open with a soft pop when she saw every contour of his abs. Strangely, she felt like running her fingers over the hard muscle, and quickly clasped her hands behind her back to dissuade herself from touching him.

Gajeel was too wrapped up in the two of them being semi-naked to notice the fact that Lucy was very unabashedly checking him out. With his shirt finally on the ground, he met Lucy's gaze. The blonde held her breath and snapped open the button on her shorts. She felt the garment loosen and slip an inch down her hips, revealing the top of her lacy panties. Now it was Gajeel's turn to try and look away, but he couldn't either. He watched Lucy shimmy her shorts down her endless legs, unintentionally being ridiculously seductive. Pale pink panties, cut high on her thigh, showcased her long legs and pert, round ass. Her underwear definitely showed off more of her butt than she wanted put on display, but she was in too deep now. Gajeel had begun pushing his pants off too, until he was only clad in a pair of black briefs.

Lucy and Gajeel were both aware of the semi-erection Gajeel was sporting, but neither chose to mention it. Gajeel believed that being chill about it would draw less attention to his boner, and Lucy was truly just flattered and a little turned on herself.

 _Do I… Is Gajeel turning me on? God, I want to lick those abs,_ Lucy mentally drooled, staring at her partner. Her cheeks were beet red.

"Shall we?" Gajeel asked stiffly, gesturing to the water.

Lucy nodded and hurried towards the pristine pool. She momentarily stopped at the edge to dip her toe into the water, and she found it to be blissfully crisp and cool. The sun overhead was still beating down and the water provided some much needed relief as Lucy waded in. She sighed softly as the exertion and strain from the last couple of days melted out of her into the refreshing water. She walked in until she was chest deep before quickly holding her nose and dipping down. Lucy stayed underwater for a few moments, watching her blonde hair swirl around her face in wispy, ethereal strands. The sunlight penetrating the water cast diamond-like sparkles on the mossy pond floor. Lucy observed her arms and legs, watching golden sunlight bounce off her pale skin. Even her purple injury looked beautiful under the teal water. Lucy stayed underwater until her lungs began to burn, desperately craving oxygen.

She burst through the surface of the water and gasped in a large breath of air. Water trickled off her hair and down her back. Lucy noticed Gajeel standing a few feet away to her side, equally entranced by the refreshing pond. His already long hair hung down to his narrow hips now that it was wet, and sunlight danced off of the drops that clung to his bronzed skin. Sensing Lucy's eyes on him, he turned to meet her gaze.

"Quite something, huh, Bunny girl?"

Lucy nodded dreamily. The only thing missing was chirping birds, but otherwise, this was a perfect place.

 _Aside from the monsters looming a few feet away, of course,_ Lucy chuckled to herself. Wanting to share the joke, she called Gajeel.

"Seems a little too perfect, doesn't it? I feel like we need a monster to swim under me and grab me to snap us back to reality," she laughed.

Unfortunately, she delivered the joke to the wrong audience. Gajeel stiffened at her words. He hadn't scouted the pond for monsters and he couldn't smell them if they were underwater. They locked eyes for a brief second before Gajeel dived down into the pond's crystal depths. Lucy had read his mind even before he moved, and half a second later, Lucy was underwater as well, swimming towards Gajeel.

He moved much faster than she did, especially now that he was on high alert for underwater predators, but with some effort and significant strain to her injury, Lucy caught up to him. She wrapped an arm around his bicep and pulled him to the surface. They both came up together, but just as Lucy was about to speak, she disappeared back under the water with a choked scream.

Gajeel panicked, diving down to collect her in his arms.

"What the fuck was that?!" he yelled when they were both above water once more.

"Leg cramped… Didn't realise we were in deep water… My calf… Burning," Lucy gasped out, wincing as her calf muscle tightened painfully. The water was neck-deep for Gajeel on his toes, so Lucy definitely had no hope of being able to stand upright here. With a grunt, he walked back to shallower water, cradling a whimpering Lucy to his chest. Between the wound on her thigh and her miserably cramped muscle, Lucy wanted nothing more than to cut her leg off.

Finding a decent rock jutting out of waist-high water, Gajeel gently placed Lucy on the warm stone before grabbing her ankle.

"Lean back," he ordered, bracing her thigh with his free hand. He was careful to avoid the wound, but a quick peek at it told him that it would heal and be just fine within no time. Then, ever so slowly, Gajeel stretched Lucy's leg. He pulled it towards him while simultaneously pushing her foot back towards her ankle. Lucy screeched in pain as her calf released, but it was momentary discomfort. As her muscle eased, and blood flow resumed to the agitated area, Lucy sighed in relief. She felt Gajeel encase her calf in his large hand and gently knead the muscle, massaging it as it loosened. She let her eyes drift shut as he worked it, leaning back on her elbows to let the late afternoon sun wash over her face.

"Better?" he asked softly.

Lucy nodded. "Mm, much," she replied thickly.

"Right. Well, stay here. I'm going to make sure nothing's in the water," he announced, moving back from her and getting ready to dive down again.

Lucy's eyes shot open and she lurched forward, gripping his arm. "Calm down, Gajeel!" she chastised. "I get you're worried, but we're having such a nice afternoon and the water is lovely. Let's just enjoy it," Lucy pleaded.

"You can't be too careful. Especially not here," Gajeel shot back, but he allowed Lucy to pull him back towards her.

"We'll be alright," Lucy promised.

Gajeel made a condescending "hmph" sound, but didn't comment further. Bracing herself against his shoulders, Lucy slid off the rock and back into the water.

Gajeel couldn't help but admire the way her bra had become slightly sheer and the way it clung to the curves of her breasts. He felt his cock twitch as his eyes landed on her pert nipples poking out through the fabric of her bra and the thin streams of water that flowed into her cleavage. He was so grateful for the waist deep water, because he was on his way to being painfully hard and his mind kept throwing up images of his face buried between her tits.

"What?" Lucy giggled nervously, noticing the way Gajeel hungrily watched her. She couldn't believe the thrill she got at seeing unbridled lust in his eyes.

"Nothing," he replied gruffly, letting go of her waist and turning away from her.

 _Why do I suddenly want to fuck her?! I've been around her for so long, and sure, she's hot, but I've never wanted to fuck her this badly. Damn it, dick. Get the fuck under control,_ Gajeel thought irritatedly to himself.

Suddenly a splash of water hit him in the face. He sputtered and turned to glare at Lucy. She giggled once before flicking water at him again. His eyes narrowed and glinted as Lucy devolved into a fit of laughter. Gajeel lunged for her, picking her up around the waist and flinging her several feet away. She screamed as she soared through the air before landing in the water with a large splash. A part of her was mortified at how cheesy and cliched they were being, but she had to admit, it was fun playing with him like this.

 _All that's left is for him to kiss me. That's all that's left for this to be a moment straight out of my romance novels,_ Lucy thought as she came up to the surface. _I think I wouldn't mind if he kissed me… In fact, I think I'd really like it. How have I never seen him like this before? Also, where is he?_ Lucy realised that she couldn't see Gajeel anywhere. She looked back to where they'd been standing before he tossed her, but he wasn't there.

Panic started rising in Lucy's throat. "Gajeel?" she called nervously. No response. "Gajeel!" Lucy screamed, whipping her head around. "This isn't funny, Gajeel!" she yelled, frantically trying to spot her partner. His clothes were still where he'd left them, so Lucy knew he was in the water. Her worst fear was beginning to materialise in front of her. There _had_ been a monster in the water, and in the two seconds she was distracted, it had got him.

"Gajeel, please! Stop playing," she tried again, her voice trembling. She looked around, waiting for some movement, somewhere, but the water was still and the air was quiet. Lucy drew in a large breath, getting ready to dive down and search for him. Her knees were shaking as she tried pulling air into her lungs. Her ears had started to ring. One last time, Lucy screamed his name as loud as she could when a pair of hands landed on her hips and she felt a slick body press into her back.

"Damn it, woman. Stop fucking yelling," Gajeel whispered in her ear.

Lucy spun in his arms and punched him in the shoulder. "That wasn't funny, Gajeel!" she yelled, punching him again. "I- I thought something had happened," she stuttered worriedly. Their chests were pressed together and his arms were more wholly encircling her waist now.

"I went for a little swim," Gajeel shrugged. In reality, he had needed to quickly scan the water to ensure there weren't any monsters around. He wouldn't have been able to relax otherwise.

"You disappeared! Suddenly! I thought you were dead," she snapped, irritated by his nonchalance. Had the tables been turned and she disappeared underwater for a minute, Lucy knew that Gajeel would have thrown the fit of a lifetime. She pushed against his hands, breaking free of their intimate embrace. The fifteen seconds when she thought a monster had grabbed him had been the most terrifying fifteen seconds of her life, and now that she saw him safe, tears of fear and anger pricked her eyes.

"I'm done bathing," she said shortly, moving towards the pond bank. Before she could get very far, Gajeel caught her wrist and pulled her back against him.

"Sorry I scared you. I was just playing," he said sincerely. He couldn't see her face but her back was straight as a rod and he suspected that she was very irritated with him. He'd seen her eyes glaze over with tears and he wanted to kick himself in the nuts for scaring her like that.

"I thought a monster got you," Lucy rasped.

Gajeel sighed, wrapping his arms around her middle in a tight hug. His breath was warm against her neck, and he deeply inhaled the faint smell of strawberry that clung to her hair. He squeezed her gently before letting her go and turning her to face him.

"Those ugly sons of bitches won't touch us that easily, kid. Don't worry," he reassured. "I'm tougher than ten of them put together," he cracked a lopsided smirk.

And while Lucy had been petrified not two minutes ago, she believed him. Standing mere inches from him, with the memory of his arms around her still lingering on her skin, Lucy felt safe. She smiled and reached up to brush a lock of hair away from his face. Right before she could do so, she stopped herself and retracted her hand. It felt too erotic to gently caress his face. For some reason, it felt more erotic than when they'd embraced half-naked.

As she pulled her hand back towards her body, Gajeel caught it and guided it to his face. Their gazes were locked and the air around them suddenly felt charged with electricity. Tentatively, delicately, Lucy wrapped the unruly lock of hair around her finger before tucking it behind his ear. She let her hand slide down to cup his jaw, feeling the bristle of light stubble under her palm. Her breath hitched and, unconsciously, she moved closer to him until her breasts were pressed up against his chest. She tilted her face up, and he bent down towards her. Butterflies exploded in Lucy's stomach and she watched his deep pink, lush lips part open.

"We should get back. Your magic power must be low after having kept Horlogium's gate open this long," Gajeel strangled out, his mouth a hair's breadth away from hers.

Disappointment flooded Lucy, but she tried her best to hide it. She moved back and nodded. "Yeah, I am tired," she agreed. Her heart was hammering out of rhythm as she walked back to the edge of the pond. Gajeel followed on her heels and the two of them quickly got dressed, pulling their clothes on over their wet underwear.

Neither spoke on their walk back, but when Gajeel noticed Lucy walking slowly, he wordlessly reached out to hold her hand, intertwining their fingers.

* * *

Gajeel didn't know why he hadn't kissed her. She was pressed up against him, looking at him through her long lashes, with her baby pink lips parted so deliciously. She had leaned towards him, presenting her mouth for him to claim. The way her thumb rubbed gentle circles against his jaw was enough to make him cum in his underwear like a fucking twelve year old. But still, he didn't kiss her.

 _Did your balls fucking fall off? What the fuck is wrong with you?_ Gajeel screamed at himself.

But still, he hadn't kissed her. Because, in that moment, it didn't feel right. Not with monsters around and not with the two of them being exhausted. He wanted to kiss her when they were out of here and they could focus on each other and not on the forest.

Lucy was inside the tent, changing out of her wet clothes. While she was inside, Gajeel had quickly stripped naked before pulling on a pair of sweatpants. His clothes were hanging to dry on a tree branch while the Dragon Slayer was busy trying to start a fire.

With Lucy's injury, the walk back had taken longer than expected and the sun was very nearly below the horizon. Gajeel could feel the air rapidly cooling down and he knew they were in for another chilly night. The breeze was already frosty against his exposed chest, and his long hair did little to insulate his back.

"Why aren't you wearing more clothes?" Lucy asked, stepping out of the tent. As she spoke, the logs of wood caught fire and Gajeel grunted with satisfaction.

"One shirt's wet, one I tore to wrap your leg," he explained simply. "Speaking of which, I need to put some more of the paste on your wound before retying it for the night." He patted the ground next to him where he'd spread a tarp for them to sit on. He pulled the plant leaves from his bag and crushed them between his fingers before delicately spreading the paste over her cut. The wound was already significantly less purple and it looked like it was healing. Picking up a scrap of cloth, Gajeel bound Lucy's wound before wiping his hands on his sweatpants, staining the dark grey fabric with streaks of green.

"Why did you pack only two shirts?" Lucy asked incredulously once he was done.

"I didn't think we'd be here for this long. It's fine though. I don't need a shirt during the day, and by tomorrow night, I'll have a dry shirt to sleep in," he shrugged.

"Can I give you my coat?" Lucy offered.

Gajeel just laughed. "Bunny, it's one thing to drape it over me at night, but I really doubt your coat would fit me." As if to prove a point, he rolled his broad shoulders.

"Okay, wait one second," Lucy ordered, jumping up. She rushed into the tent before emerging with her blanket. The sky was already an inky purple and the air was cold. She placed the blanket over Gajeel's shoulders before planting herself next to him. Gajeel shifted closer to Lucy before drawing the blanket around the both of them. Lucy leaned into his bare side, letting her knee rest on his thigh.

"Why are you so paranoid about this place?" she asked after several moments of silence.

Gajeel inhaled shakily before speaking. "I was here years ago. After Metalicana disappeared. I'd heard rumours about the place but I was young and an idiot, and I believed I could take on every sucker here. I had nowhere to go and nothing to lose, so I packed a bag and a tent and came here," he paused and considered his next words carefully.

"Lucy, this place has been kind to you. I don't know if it's because we're here together, or because your spirits have been on guard, or maybe it's this dumb nature spirit that's making the monsters wary," as he spoke, the pair turned to look at the nature spirit bound to the tree. It was still glaring and would occasionally snarl, but wasn't being too much of a nuisance otherwise. "Yeah, I don't know what it is," Gajeel continued, "but you've gotten off easy. We've fought what, a hundred, maybe hundred and fifty monsters since you entered the Woods? Lucy, I fought those many, single handedly, in one night. And I was a fucking kid. It's a miracle I made it out of here with my life. I still don't know how I did it, because one moment, I'm asleep in my tent, and the next I'm kicking and punching monsters left, centre, right. Somehow I made it up into the trees and hightailed it out of here. It was, undoubtedly, one of the worst nights of my life, and I have the scar to always remind me of it," he finished.

Lucy didn't know what to say. She reached out and held Gajeel's hand comfortingly. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were trained to the flickering flames and his brows were pulled tightly together.

"What scar?" Lucy asked softly.

"On my back," Gajeel replied, finally meeting her gaze. He angled his body to present his back to her before sweeping his hair to one shoulder. Lucy gasped when she saw the raised scar that ran from the base of his neck down to the small of his back. She ghosted a finger over it and Gajeel closed his eyes, tipping his head back at the sensation.

"The monsters here did this?" she whispered.

Gajeel nodded. "I didn't know what to do. I just remember jumping through trees, blinding pain shooting through me, blood seeping down my back and into my clothes. When I got to the nearest village, I had to steal medicines and bandages, and somehow, I managed to patch myself up. I did a shitty job though, and it got infected and took forever to heal and I remember lying in a small cave, burning up with a fever, and praying for death. It was a fucking nightmare. I never thought I'd have to ever come back here," he said shakily, turning back to Lucy. The blanket had slipped from around them, so Gajeel moved his arm around Lucy's shoulder to readjust it. He let his arm fall from her shoulder to her waist as he pulled her close. Feeling her pressed against him helped calm him down as he dredged up awful memories. Lucy curled up into his side, resting her head in the crook of his neck and gently tracing a finger over his hand.

"I'm sorry you had to come back," she muttered guiltily.

"You have nothing to apologise for. I chose to do this, and I'm glad I was here. Plus, monsters aside, I've had a good time with you," he admitted with a smile. Lucy returned it graciously, squeezing his thigh. Absent-mindedly, Gajeel dropped a kiss to the top of Lucy's head. It was brief and fleeting, but enough for both of them to suddenly become very aware of how their bodies were molded together. Suddenly, electricity danced between every point where their bodies touched. Lucy felt an incredible urge to turn her face and press her lips to his bare chest, but with some difficulty, she restrained herself. Instead, they sat in silence, arms around one another, watching the flames dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this isn't going to be a veeeeery slow slow-burn. We'll get to good stuff soon! Hope the adventure thing is still working for you guys and I hope I haven't bored you yet! Also I heard you guys and I will elaborate a little more on the whole nature spirit thing in the next couple chaps! It kinda makes sense in my head but I haven't gotten around to really articulating it in words yet, but I will, not to worry!   
> As always, please comment! I can't begin to describe how motivating it is to read your lovely comments!


	6. Chapter 6

They stayed sitting like that long after the fire had died down into orange embers. With the moon waning, the forest was nearly pitch black, save for the weak starlight filtering down through the trees. At some point, Lucy had moved to sit between Gajeel's legs, with her back pressed into his chest. The blanket swaddled them both as he held her close to him. Her head was tipped back onto his shoulder, and his chin rested in the crook of her neck. They barely spoke, but their hearts hammered loud enough to wake the dead. Occasionally they'd hear something walk by, crunching dry leaves underfoot. Sometimes, it would be accompanied by a low snarl, and Gajeel would stiffen, tightening his grip on Lucy. And then, whatever it was, would pass and Gajeel would close his eyes, exhaling shakily. Lucy had one hand on his thigh and the other was intertwined with Gajeel's fingers. Everytime Gajeel froze, Lucy would gently squeeze his hand while stroking his thigh, silently urging him to relax.

"We should go back inside. It's cold," he rasped, noting the way Lucy was shivering and pressing herself deeper into his warmth.

She nodded. "I want to try talking to the spirit first, though."

"That… may not be the best idea. I doubt you'll get anything out of it anyway," Gajeel dissuaded.

"Still. I should try," Lucy said, standing up. She walked to the tree where the spirit was bound. It had so much hate in its onyx eyes, filling Lucy with sorrow.

"Are you cold?" she tried, standing several feet away from it. When it didn't respond, Lucy took hesitant steps towards it. It watched her approach, unmoving, until she took one step too far. Suddenly, it lurched forward, baring its sharpened teeth. Lucy immediately retracted that step and the spirit calmed down once more.

"Okay, I won't get too close. Understood. Can I bring you some food?" she asked.

Again, no response. Lucy ran to her bag and fished out an apple. She walked back to the spirit, stopping at the point she knew the spirit was comfortable with. Then placing the apple on her open palm, she stretched her hand out.

"Food?"

The spirit looked at her pointedly before looking away disinterestedly. Lucy scratched her head, wondering what she could do to make the spirit more comfortable.

"Gajeel, can you bring me my keys?" she asked as an idea struck her.

The man sauntered over, pouch in hand. Her fingers quickly found the key she was looking for, and Virgo popped into existence next to the pair.

"Want to punish me, Princess?" she asked as her standard greeting.

Lucy chose to ignore that. "Virgo, could you please re-tie the spirit so that it is comfortably sitting on the ground? And don't tie its arms down, just handcuff them. No one should be forced to stand for this long," she looked at the spirit empathetically.

"Right away, Princess," Virgo chirped, moving towards the spirit. It snarled and roared and even tried biting Virgo, but the pink-haired maiden was unfazed. She made quick work of redoing the bonds to allow the spirit to sink down to the ground, with its back against the tree. Virgo clasped silver handcuffs onto the spirit's wrists, and, once satisfied, stood back to admire her handiwork. The spirit snarled ferociously at her intrusion.

"Do you want me to give it a gag, Princess?" she asked enthusiastically, to which Lucy very clearly said no.

"I just needed help with this. Thank you, Virgo," Lucy said, before bidding her spirit goodbye.

Then, turning her attention back to the beautiful spirit chained to the tree, Lucy crouched down and rolled the apple towards it.

"I don't know if you eat, but in case you get hungry, I'll leave this with you. I guess snarl or growl or something if you need anything at night. I'm sorry I had to do this, but I swear, you'll be okay soon. In three nights it'll be the new moon, and hopefully, you'll be alright then," she explained slowly. She wasn't sure if the spirit even understood her, but there was something about the way its eyes narrowed and head cocked as she spoke. It was almost as if it was trying to comprehend what she was saying. Lucy stared intently into its eyes before nodding and standing up. She looked over her shoulder to ensure the apple was within the spirit's reach before slipping her hand into Gajeel's and leading him back to the tent.

"How did you do that?" he asked in awe as he zipped the tent door shut.

"Do what?" Lucy looked up at him as she knelt by her sleeping back. Gajeel tossed the blanket to her.

"Talk to it. It stayed so calm when you talked to it."

Lucy shrugged. "Loke was right. Its magic is similar to the magic my spirits wield. I didn't sense it as quickly as Loke had, but after being around the spirit for a couple hours, I'm starting to understand it. It isn't very different from my own spirits, and I guess it sensed that my magic was somehow familiar. Or maybe, because it's so close to the new moon, it's starting to calm down," she ideated.

"Well, you're truly something special," Gajeel smiled. He pulled Lucy's bag and arranged it as his pillow, but instead of sleeping at the other end of the tent, he positioned the bag a couple feet away from Lucy's head.

He flicked the lantern inside the tent off and got ready to lie down when he heard Lucy's soft voice.

"Gajeel?" she called into the dark hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"It's cold tonight."  
"Did you want your blanket?" Gajeel asked half-heartedly. Of course he'd give it to her, but then he'd positively freeze.

"No, it's not that. Uh… I mean, I'd be fine if… You can share my sleeping bag if you want," Lucy tripped over her words. She was grateful for the dark, because her face was burning with embarrassment.

Gajeel's jaw hit the floor. "Is that so, Bunny?" he crooned seductively.

"Yes," Lucy said, ignoring the suggestiveness in his voice. Her voice wavered awkwardly, but she was positive that she wanted to sleep next to him.

She heard Gajeel move in the dark before the corner of her sleeping bag opened and he slid inside. It was close quarters, but even shoulder to shoulder, they managed to fit. Lucy turned to her side and Gajeel moved his arm under her body to hug her to his chest. Lucy sighed happily as his warmth radiated through the sleeping bag and she snuggled into him, tucking her nose into his chest. She inhaled his warm, cinnamony, rust scent and it reminded her of summer rains.

"Goodnight," she purred, content in his arms.

"Goodnight Bunny," he responded softly, combing his fingers through her blonde locks.

* * *

"Gajeel," Lucy called softly. "Gajeel, I can't move," she whispered, struggling in his arms. At some point in the night, they had turned until Gajeel was wrapped around Lucy, his chest against her back. His arm was looped over her waist, crushing her to him, and his bent knee rested on her thigh. Lucy wriggled in his arms, trying to push him away, when her butt grazed his groin and she felt something hard poke into her soft flesh. Immediately she blushed, but didn't jump away. It would be hypocritical of her to react dramatically, considering she'd woken up with an ache in her core and the familiar fluttering of a charged up libido. Gajeel's breath on her neck continued to send shivers up her spine and part of her wanted to stay like this, cocooned against his body. But she desperately had to pee, and Gajeel keeping her trapped was not helping.

Finally, having been left no other option, Lucy screeched his name at the top of her lungs. In a fraction of a second, Gajeel was crouching at the ready, his arm now an iron club.

"Where is it?" he hissed, scanning the walls of the tent.

Lucy felt so guilty. She got up on her knees in front of his and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry, Gajeel. Nothing's there, but you weren't waking up and I had to go pee. I wasn't able to push you off of me. I'm sorry," she apologised again.

Gajeel sat down heavily with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

"Damn it, Bunny. I nearly had a fucking heart attack," he gasped.

"Sorry!" Lucy apologised guiltily once more before leaping to her feet. "If I don't go pee right now, I may die," she exclaimed before darting out of the tent. Gajeel tried shouting after her, reminding her to be safe, but she was long gone and he knew better than to follow her now.

He lay back down, arms folded underneath his head. Gajeel couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so soundly, which was especially surprising, given that they were in his least favourite place in the world. There was something about her honey-vanilla skin that was so incredibly soothing, while also being ridiculously intoxicating. The memory of her smell caused a stirring in his pants, and with sudden panic, Gajeel realised that he'd probably had morning wood. And Lucy's tight, round butt had been right up against it.

 _Oh fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. I had my boner in her ass. Okay, just be chill. It happens all the time. She probably didn't notice,_ he thought, soothing himself. He tried very hard to steer his thoughts away from the blonde and how good she felt, curled up in his arms. He thought about the monsters, and the spirit bound outside, and Natsu, and finally, Gajeel felt his excited member start to calm down.

Just then, Lucy bounded back into the tent and flopped down on the sleeping bag next to him.

"Okay, I'm better. Did you sleep good?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Mm," Gajeel grunted contentedly. "How's the wound?" he asked in return, lightly drumming his fingers on her thigh.

Lucy sat up and undid the bandage, revealing just a reddened gash, with no purple discoloration surrounding it.

"Good. And it doesn't hurt?" Gajeel confirmed, to which Lucy shook her head. "Then I think you can let it stay open. It'll heal faster if it's exposed to oxygen, and I don't think we need to worry about an infection anymore," he advised.

"I'm sorry you had to tear your shirt for this, though," Lucy offered. Secretly, however, she wasn't sorry at all. Getting to wake up to a shirtless Gajeel, rippling muscles and tight abs on display, made her entire day. Her eyes roved his defined body and she felt drool pool in her mouth.

"Are you sorry though, Bunny? Because with the way you're checking me out, it doesn't seem like it." Gajeel's voice was low and smooth as he sat up, bringing his face close to Lucy's. Her cheeks were tinged a bright pink, but as if possessed, she lifted a hand gingerly and reached for his abdomen. Just before her fingers could graze his skin, she looked up to meet his eyes, silently asking for permission. Gajeel nodded almost imperceptibly and let his eyes flutter shut.

Lucy closed the distance and let the tips of her fingers just barely skim his body. He'd been pressed against her several times over the last two days, including just last night, where they slept in a tight embrace, but this was deliberate. Lucy touched his chest with the intent of feeling every dip, curve, and contour. Her hand went up to his neck, and then slowly trailed down his body, stopping an inch above his waistband.

"Hold me," she whispered throatily, moving her other hand to the nape of his neck. She laced her fingers through his unruly hair before moving them up to cup his jaw.

Gajeel's hands were on her waist in an instant. He pulled her gently and she readily climbed into his lap. Softly, Lucy ran the pad of her thumb over his lips and Gajeel drew air in sharply. Their noses touched and their breaths intermingled. Gajeel opened his eyes to see Lucy looking at him. As they made eye contact, Lucy gently shut her eyes and angled her head. Her lips parted as she brought them to Gajeel's, but before they could make contact, he pulled back.

"What?" Lucy's voice shook. "Why won't you kiss me?" she looked at him accusingly. She felt rejected and sad and she wanted to slide off his lap and go hide behind a tree, but his hands on her waist kept her trapped there. "Did I cross a line? Do you not see me like that?" she continued. "I thought we were…" Lucy trailed off.

With a sigh, Gajeel dropped his head to her shoulder. He swept her hair away from her neck and planted a hot, open kiss to her throat. Lucy sighed dreamily as arousal coursed through her.

"Lucy, you don't know how much I want you. God, not kissing you right now has been the hardest thing I've done, possibly in my entire life. And I don't trust myself to stay good and not absolutely ravage you. But I don't want to kiss you here, Bunny. Not in these Woods. Not when I am constantly, _constantly_ paranoid about monsters and other weird shit attacking us. I don't want to kiss you if even ten percent of me is focused on something else. Because _when_ I kiss you, Lucy, I need it to be just you and me. And then," Gajeel's smooth voice turned to a growl, "I'm going to do so... much... more... than just kiss you," he said, punctuating his words with little nips along her throat. "But not yet, and not here. Please," he strangled at the end. He held her face in his hands, and looked deep into her eyes, begging her to understand.

"Okay," Lucy whispered. She was still dejected, but hearing him say that he intended to kiss her _and more_ made her heart flutter with excitement.

"I want you, Bunny girl. You don't even know how much I want you," he breathed, touching his forehead to hers. "And the second we're out of these Woods, I _will_ have you," Gajeel growled again. Teasingly, he brought his lips to Lucy's, before, at the last second, moving his head to kiss the corner of her mouth. He then kissed her jaw, then her throat, and finally, he kissed the skin right above the swell of her breast.

"Stop being such a fucking tease," Lucy moaned, sinking into his embrace. She flicked her tongue over the shell of his studded ear, giggling when he groaned in pleasure. Involuntarily, Gajeel bucked his hips up into her warm centre, and Lucy responded by enthusiastically grinding herself against him. Gajeel's hands tightened on her waist and he kissed her throat again.

"Okay, we need to stop," he gritted, pulling himself off Lucy's neck and swatting her butt. "Up. Let's go. Breakfast, spirit to check on, things to do. C'mon, Princess," he said, lifting Lucy off his lap. Gajeel stood up and his massive erection was more than prominent through the soft fabric of his sweatpants.

"I need to go pee. And find my shirt. Stay outta trouble, don't do anything risky, I'll be back soon," Gajeel ordered before stalking out of the tent.

Lucy watched hungrily as his muscular back and gorgeous ass marched out of the tent before she followed to go visit the bound spirit.

* * *

"Your eyes… They're blue today," Lucy gasped in shock as she neared the spirit. It didn't snarl when Lucy drew near. Her gaze flicked to the uneaten apple still lying on the floor next to ethereal being. Its eyes were no longer filled with hate, but they weren't warm either. The spirit watched Lucy with cold indifference.

"They were black yesterday, but they're dark blue now… Does that mean it's working? Is whatever caused you to go rogue wearing off?" Lucy probed. She was crouching down about five feet from the bound spirit. It was a couple feet closer than she'd been able to go yesterday and she counted that as a victory.

"Please talk to me. Or signal. Do something so I know you're comfortable," Lucy pleaded desperately. Her heart twisted, seeing the spirit confined to the tree. There was something about its overall blueness that reminded her of Aquarius and she felt tears well in her eyes at the memory of her friend.

"I just want you to be okay… I don't know what's wrong with you, or if this is even helping. Is it? Are you feeling okay? Please, tell me," Lucy urged, leaning closer to the spirit.

The spirit studied Lucy for several long seconds before nodding once.

"You understand me?! Oh my god! You understand me! You're okay then?" Lucy asked excitedly. She waited eagerly for the spirit's response, but it never came. Its face settled back into a scowl before looking away, and that was the extent of interaction Lucy managed.

She sat there for a few more hopeful minutes, just in case the spirit decided to communicate with her again, but she had no luck on that front. With a sigh, Lucy got up to dig through the bag for food, only to find that they'd run out.

"Great," she muttered sarcastically. "Should I risk going and finding food by myself?" she asked, turning to the spirit. It was still ignoring Lucy. "Hmm. You're right. He'll kill me if I wander off alone. Good point, spirit," Lucy commented, entertaining herself by playing out both sides of the conversation. "I shall read a book until he gets back. Want me to read out loud to you? No? Okay, your loss," Lucy shrugged at the spirit that was presently paying zero attention to her.

She disappeared into the tent and pulled up her sleeping bag to retrieve the book she'd left hidden under it. Then, after slipping out of her pajama pants and into shorts, Lucy found a sunny spot under a tree where she parked herself and flipped the book open.

"Sure I can't interest you in a read-aloud?" she reconfirmed with the disinterested spirit. This time, it turned to shoot her a glare so withering that Lucy instantly clammed up and focused her gaze on the words in front of her. But, before she could get too lost in her novel, she thought about what Gajeel would do in her position.

After a few moments of prep, Lucy sat back down, whip by her side, keys hanging from her waist, and ears trained to the various sounds around her. Satisfied, she settled down to read, making sure to flick her gaze up and around her every few seconds.

* * *

Gajeel's boner was miserably uncomfortable, straining against his pants. A small part of him wanted to give up this ridiculous notion he was carrying, and just go back to Lucy, pin her to a tree, and sink his cock into her tight, wet, warmth.

"Stop it, Gajeel," he grumbled irritatedly.

When he felt sufficiently far enough from camp, with little chance of Lucy finding him, he stopped and leaned back against a comfortable tree. He couldn't believe what he was about to do, but he also didn't have much of a choice. He couldn't walk around with a hard on for the rest of the day.

"Won't it be just fucking hilarious if a monster attacked me with my dick in my hand?" he chuckled humourlessly.

But the only other alternative was fucking Lucy, and he'd much rather get attacked with his dick in his hand than get attacked with his dick buried inside Lucy. He needed to tend to his impatient and excited cock, because, right now, every drop of blood in his body was flooding his member, which meant none of it was in his brain, which meant he wasn't thinking straight. His mind was solely focused on wrapping his lips around Lucy's gorgeous nipples and pumping his dick into her undoubtedly pretty pussy. He wanted to hear her moan his name and grip his hair as he fucked her into oblivion.

With a shaky exhale, Gajeel slipped a hand into his pants and pulled out his rock hard cock. He gently wrapped his fist around it and began stroking its length. His eyes fell shut, and behind his lids, he envisioned Lucy on her knees with his cock disappearing between her pink lips.

A low moan left Gajeel's throat and he knew he didn't have the time to slowly, tantalisingly bring himself to his release. She was waiting for him all alone, and he needed to be quick.

Gajeel felt like a damn teenager, jerking himself off rapidly and covertly. His eyes were screwed shut and he changed the image in his head to Lucy from yesterday afternoon.

He saw her dusky pink nipples peek through her bra and the outline of her pussy, framed by her wet, pink panties. She was in the pond, hair dripping around her face as she watched him with hooded eyes. Gajeel fantasized about holding her against a rock, water swirling around the both of them, as he pushed himself into her. Gajeel pumped his cock in time to his imagined thrusts and he let soft gasps slip out of his mouth. His cock was slick with precum, and if he focused hard enough, he could pretend that slickness was Lucy's juices, coating his length.

With how horny he'd been, it wasn't long until Gajeel felt his balls tighten. He vigorously stroked his dick, urging himself towards his climax. Then, with a final tug, he felt ecstasy wash over him as he spurted his seed onto the forest floor. He was careful to not let any jizz get on his pants, lest he walk back to camp with incriminating white stains decorating his clothes. Gajeel sighed contentedly as his balls emptied themselves. He felt better and the haze of lust that clouded his ability to think straight began to lift.

He cleaned himself off on leaves, all the while muttering about how embarrassing this was and how much of a degenerate he felt like, before tucking his soft cock back into his pants.

With his sex drive moderately under control, Gajeel moved on to the next item on his agenda - food. He was fairly certain that they'd run out and he didn't want Lucy to stay hungry. He quickly scaled a tree before leaping through the branches until he found one that held an abundant supply of mangoes. He perched carefully on that branch, plucking enough for the two of them to eat before gracefully jumping to the ground. Cradling the fruit in his arms, he jogged back to camp, worried at having left Lucy alone for so long.

"Hey Bunny," Gajeel called as he rounded their campsite, "I got-" his voice broke off in a hoarse strangle and the fruit tumbled out of his arms and to the ground.

"Lucy!" Gajeel cried, running towards the unconscious blonde, crumpled on the ground mere inches from the bound spirit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanservice was requested, fanservice has been delivered. We got some PG 13 (not really) steamy moments. And a fun cliffy! I almost never do such dramatic cliffhangers, but oh well, gotta throw a couple in for some spice y'kno
> 
> Please make my day and review thank u very much. Im still so insecure about writing adventure that any and all feedback is just going to help w everything!


	7. Chapter 7

Gajeel dropped to his knees and pulled the unconscious girl into his arms before turning his arm into a sword and pressing it to the spirit's throat.

"What did you do to her?" Gajeel spat.

The spirit's eyes widened in fear and it leaned back into the tree, trying to escape Gajeel's wrath.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?!" the Dragon Slayer roared. His eyes burned with fierce rage as he readied himself to chop the spirit's head off. He didn't know if his iron could cut it, but he sure as hell was going to try. He pushed his sword further into the spirit's throat, and an emerald green line began to form where the blade bit into the skin.

"So you can bleed, huh, ugly? That makes things interesting," Gajeel hissed menacingly.

The spirit's face was twisted in pain and anger as it bared its teeth to Gajeel. It struggled against its bonds, snarling and spitting in the Dragon Slayer's face, and yet, it's deep blue eyes shone with fright.

"Gajeel, stop!"

A large hand held Gajeel's shoulder and pulled him off the spirit. Loke stood above Gajeel, glaring at him. He quickly placed himself between Gajeel and the spirit, forcing Gajeel to scoot back a few paces, still hugging Lucy to his chest.

"Look at Lucy's face, you fucking idiot. She's not in pain. She's smiling," Loke spat.

Gajeel looked at Loke in shock before gently turning Lucy to examine her. Loke was right. She had a small, blissful smile on her face and she was breathing evenly.

"Wha-" Gajeel fumbled, rapidly flicking his gaze between Lucy, Loke, and the spirit.

"Her leg. _Ugly_ over there, as you so kindly called her, healed Lucy," Loke drawled, pointing to Lucy's leg.

" _What?!_ Why? How? _Her?_ That thing is a _girl?_ Fucking use more words, you damn Lion!" Gajeel yelled, his hand immediately on Lucy's thigh, searching for the cut. Loke was right. Twenty minutes ago, a deep red gash decorated Lucy's milky skin, and now, it was a thin, barely-there, pink line.

"Water has healing properties. I assume this spirit is the spirit of the river. She must have healed my Princess," Loke shrugged.

Gajeel so desperately wanted to chew Loke out for referring to Lucy as _his_ Princess, but instead he asked the more pressing question. "Why is she unconscious?"

"Bodies heal faster when they're at rest. The spirit must've knocked her out to allow her to heal. She's fine, Gajeel. I swear. The spirit helped her," Loke assured.

"Why? Why would it help her after it poisoned the river and killed all those villagers? Hell, it tried to kill us less than a day ago. So what changed?" Gajeel demanded.

Loke rolled his eyes and sighed. "Are you blind or stupid? How much do you miss, man? Look at the spirit's eyes. They're a different colour today. The new moon is two nights away and she must already be calming down. That doesn't mean we should let her go yet, but I think this silver chain thing is working."

Gajeel had a million more questions for the man, but he needed to get Lucy somewhere comfortable first. "I'm taking Lucy inside," he announced.

"Go. I'll make sure the spirit is fine and then come to the tent. I'm sure you have questions," Loke sighed resignedly.

Nodding, Gajeel picked Lucy up, hugging her to his chest, and took her into the tent. He laid her down on top of her sleeping bag, with her head in his lap. Gently, Gajeel brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. He had been so panicked when he saw her on the ground, that his first and only thought was killing whatever had hurt her. He didn't stop to look at her to check if she was actually hurt. His mind jumped to the worst possible scenario, and even now, holding a safe and sleeping Lucy, Gajeel felt sick at the memory of her crumpled body. It didn't matter that she was okay and in his arms. Seeing her like that shaved a few years off of his life and he knew he'd have nightmares about that image in the days to come.

Gajeel heard Loke approaching the tent and he moved Lucy's head off his lap and onto the sleeping bag so that he could turn and face the celestial spirit. Loke pushed the tent flap open and ducked inside.

"Is it… Is _she_ okay?" Gajeel gritted. He didn't particularly care, but if that spirit had healed Lucy, then it deserved some gratitude.

"I'm pretty sure she's fucking furious, but anyone would be if a psychopath attacked them with a sword," Loke snipped. "You really don't take a minute to think, do you?"

Gajeel bristled. "What would you have done, huh? You see Lucy crumpled on the ground, a foot away from this deranged spirit that tried to kill you. Honestly tell me, what would you have done?" he barked.

Loke had no response. When Gajeel phrased it like that, Loke knew he no longer had an argument. So he moved onto the next bone he had to pick with Gajeel.

"Why was she alone? You're supposed to be watching her," Loke scolded.

"I needed to pee! And get food for us! I was gone for barely twelve minutes. I trust Lucy to watch herself for twelve fucking minutes. She's a grown ass, strong wizard who can hold her own. I don't know what fight you're trying to start, but don't. Not after the morning I've had. I will kick your ass to the moon and back, and I will enjoy every second of it, so don't fucking test me," Gajeel growled as he unconsciously laid a protective hand on Lucy's side.

Loke debated chiding Gajeel further, but when he saw the way Gajeel hovered over Lucy and the remnants of panicked desperation in the Dragon Slayer's eyes, Loke backed off.

"Alright. Well, she'll be okay. Just let her sleep," Loke instructed before turning to leave.

"Wait! I have questions," Gajeel reached out to the spirit.

With a sigh, Loke sat down across from Gajeel.

"Lucy was fine. Her wound was healing. Why did the spirit need to cure her?"

"I don't know, Gajeel. Maybe it wasn't healing. Maybe the infection ran deep. These monsters… they're an old race. Perversions by sick alchemists, desperate to create perfection. Over the centuries, they've warped and morphed into the creatures that stalk the forest today. It would be impossible to determine the kind of toxins that run in their bodies, so we have no way of knowing if Lucy was actually getting better."

"But… they've cut me. Years ago. I was sick for a while, but I healed," Gajeel protested.

"You and Lucy aren't the same. Your Dragon Slayer magic makes you a lot tougher than most other people. But what does it matter anyway? Lucy is okay now. That's what's important."

"Next question. What the fuck is the deal with that spirit? How can you suddenly understand it now?"

Loke exhaled forcefully. "All of us - Lucy's spirits, that is - have been searching for everything we can find about these things. We started looking as soon as the fight yesterday was done. There isn't much, like Grandpa Crux said, but we do know that they are immensely powerful, but generally harmless. They can't be contracted, there are no known keys that control them, and they do not respond to any master. They are the seasons and the mountains and the oceans, and they are its' guardians. Like we keep the heavens in balance, they keep the mortal plane in balance."

"Okay. But how do you understand that thing all of a sudden? Can it speak to you?"

"Think of us as cousins. Distant cousins, but family nonetheless. Her aura resonates with my own and I'm able to read her. I can't speak to her like you imagine I'm doing, but I know she wasn't hurting Lucy, I know she has no malicious intent towards Princess, and I know she wants to beat you senseless," Loke shrugged.

"Why didn't you know all this yesterday, huh? Might've been handy in a fight," Gajeel muttered.

"The Eclipse gate. Lucy told me about it. I have no memory of losing myself like that, but I did. And Lucy couldn't get through to me. No one could. I wasn't myself. I suspect it's the same with her. Now that she's slowly reverting to her original self, it's becoming easier to understand her. I can see her aura more clearly today than I could yesterday."

There was silence in the tent for a moment.

"Are you done?" Loke asked.

"Last question. Why did she go rogue?"

Loke stayed silent for several seconds. "I don't know," he finally admitted softly.

"So it can happen again? And I'll have to come back here again?" Gajeel asked, sudden panic in his voice.

"It's possible… but unlikely!" Loke quickly added. "There are almost no concrete, recorded instances of a rogue nature spirit. I doubt anything like this will happen again in your lifetime, and if it does, all us celestial spirits know how to handle it. So no, I don't think you'll ever have to come back here," Loke assured.

Gajeel visibly relaxed with a shaky sigh.

"Alright. Thanks, man. Are you going to head back?" As Gajeel spoke, Lucy began to stir.

Loke leaped to Lucy's side and gently shook her.

"Princess?" he called softly.

Lucy yawned and stretched her arms before fluttering her eyes open. She smiled serenely when her gaze met Gajeel's. But then she noted his worried expression. And she saw Loke next to her as well.

"What's going on?" she asked groggily.

"How do you feel?" Loke softly questioned.

Lucy sat up and tested her limbs, cracked her neck, and felt her face. After her scan was complete, she turned to Loke. "Great, actually. Why?"

Rather than giving her an answer, Gajeel put forth a question of his own. "What's the last thing you remember, Bunny?"

"Uh…" Lucy scratched her head. "The spirit. It was looking at me really intently. Which was weird because I'd been trying to talk to it, and it kept ignoring me, but then suddenly, it was staring at me, almost like it wanted me to go to it. So I did. Then it… No, that can't be right," Lucy stopped.

"It what? What happened?" Gajeel probed.

"It reached out to me. Like physically. But it wouldn't have… I must've imagined that… What's going on, guys? Why am I in the tent? And why are you here, Loke?" Lucy's voice went up an octave.

"I found yo-" Gajeel started before Loke cut him off.

"What happened right before the spirit looked at you?" he asked.

"I was reading. And then I felt a burning pain in my thigh, where my wound is, and then I noticed the spirit looking at me," Lucy answered. Her eyes flicked down to her wound. Suddenly, a shriek ripped through the tent.

"Where the fuck is my injury?! What happened?! How long have I been out? Oh my god, Gajeel, what day is it?" Lucy gripped Gajeel's arm, crying.

"Goddamnit Lucy, now is not the time to lose your head!" Gajeel huffed. "You've been out twenty minutes, give or take. Don't blow a fuse."

"Then. Where. The. Fuck. Is. My. Injury?" Lucy demanded obstinately.

"We think the spirit healed you. You were asleep next to her when Gajeel found you," Loke answered.

"...Healed me? ... _she?!_ Can you please, for the love of god, give me a clear answer! And you still haven't told me why you're here!"

"I sensed you were asleep. Which is weird, considering it's the morning, and I knew you'd woken up. So I came by to see if everything was alright, and why you'd gone back to sleep. I was worried you were sick," Loke explained calmly. "So I show up, and this dumbass," Loke gestured to Gajeel, "has a sword against the spirit's throat. It's a blessing I came when I did, truly, because heaven knows what he would have done had I not shown up," Loke finished condescendingly.

Both Lucy and Gajeel ignored his jibe.

"I'm still so confused," Lucy groaned. "This is making my head spin," she whined, lying back down.

Gajeel turned to Loke. "I'll handle this," he whispered. "You go. I'll give her the rundown of everything."

"If I have to come back here because you've left her alone again..." Loke began threateningly.

"You'll do what, huh, you overgrown cat? I didn't see you pulling monsters off of her all day yesterday. You want to talk to me about protecting Lucy? I'll fucking-" Gajeel spat viciously.

"Enough, Gajeel," Lucy's voice ripped through their bickering. "Same goes for you, Loke. Stop talking about me like I'm this piece of glass you both need to protect. I am weak here. I know that. Fighting monsters isn't what I'm good at. But if you both are going to be snippy with each other and compare metaphorical dick sizes, then I don't need either of you. I am so grateful that you both have been here and have shown up for me when I have needed you, but I am not going to tolerate unnecessary fighting. Today is only day one. We have two more days here after today, and things may go sideways. So I expect both of you to keep the peace and work together. Am I clear?" Lucy demanded, sitting up with her arms crossed under her chest.

"Clear," both men whispered in unison, their eyes trained to Lucy's tits, now pushed together and spilling out of her top, thanks to her crossed arms.

Lucy followed their gaze down to her chest. With a squeak, she dropped her arms and pulled the neck of her shit up over her cleavage.

"You both are gross!" she snapped.

Gajeel and Loke exchanged a look before laughing, and though Lucy was irritated, she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

After Loke left, Lucy called Virgo and asked her to bring them some food. Ever the intuitive celestial spirit, Virgo went the extra mile, setting up a picnic blanket and pillows and generous pots of tea to accompany a rather lavish breakfast. Lucy tried dissuading her, but the spirit was insistent on giving them a nice, romantic breakfast.

Gajeel was still inside the tent, changing out of his sweatpants, while Lucy sprawled out on the blanket, letting the morning sun warm her face.

 _The woods aren't supposed to be this perfect… This was supposed to be a dangerous, scary mission, but for the most part, I might as well be in a romance novel,_ Lucy thought to herself. She breathed in the warm, golden, foresty air.

"What's all this?" Gajeel asked, walking out towards the food and the blonde.

"I think Virgo wanted us to have a breakfast date," Lucy blushed slightly.

"Between your gorgeous face and your wingmen spirits, I don't know how I'm going to keep my hands off of you," Gajeel purred seductively, taking a seat next to Lucy. She was lying on her back, lazily throwing grapes into her mouth. Gajeel stretched himself out, putting his head on her stomach. Lucy began running her fingers through his hair.

Gajeel sighed deeply. "God, that feels good, babe."

He reached back to grip her hip and he squeezed gently.

"Gajeel," Lucy called throatily. Her voice was thick with lust.

He turned over, propping himself up on his elbows. He brought his face close to Lucy's.

"Yes?" he whispered. The sun warmed his bare back. His now dry T-shirt lay folded in the tent, but Gajeel suspected he wouldn't need it at night either. There was something just _right_ about having Lucy pressed against his naked chest.

He looked down at her beautiful face. The sun turned her skin to gold, and her large, brown eyes looked like pools of honey. She reached up and wound a hand through his hair. Gently, she tugged his face down towards hers.

"Please, Gajeel," she begged softly, craning her neck up.

 _Fucking hell… I can't say no to her,_ Gajeel thought before dipping his head down. Lucy parted her lips in anticipation. With bated breath, the pair moved their faces closer and closer until Gajeel's lips just barely touched hers.

And then the leaves above them rustled and a branch creaked. Gajeel jumped back from Lucy and was up in the trees before she could process what happened.

"Where the fuck are you?" Lucy heard Gajeel hiss.

"Maybe it was nothing!" she called up to him, irritated at having been interrupted.

Before Gajeel could respond, the pair heard a ferocious snarl. Lucy whipped her head to look at the spirit, and it snarled again. Lucy heard something scamper through the leaves and branches, and shortly after, Gajeel was back on the ground next to her.

"It got away," Gajeel informed stiffly.

"It was the spirit. She snarled at whatever was in the trees." 

"Hm. Wonder why they're suddenly scared of it. The monsters weren't like this when I was last here…" Gajeel mused.

"The last time you were here, the spirit wasn't violent," Lucy pointed out.

Gajeel grunted as he sat back down.

"Gaj," Lucy whispered, cupping his jaw and pulling his face to meet hers. She leaned forward, wanting to pick up from where they'd left off.

Before she could come too close, Gajeel put a gentle hand on her waist and pushed her back.

"I can't, Lucy. This is exactly what I was worried about. When I'm with you, and when your hands are on me, I'm not paying attention. I'm putting you at risk. If that bastard in the trees hadn't been so loud, who knows what might have happened. I want to, Lucy. I do. But they're gonna get us if we aren't careful, and I'm not being careful when I'm thinking about kissing you and touching you and fucking you. I can't, Lucy. I can't have one more night like when I was last here. Because if I have to do that again, I don't think I'm making it out alive," he finished raggedly.

Lucy observed Gajeel's face. His eyes were blown wide and beads of sweat formed at his temple. His breathing was uneven and his gaze was unfocused. Very slowly, Lucy moved closer to him and laid her head on his chest. His heart was hammering wildly.

"You're scared," she said softly.

Gajeel nearly denied her claim. He almost pushed her away and put on his brave face. A part of him desperately wanted to retain his image as a strong, tough man. But then he felt her gently stroke his back, and his resolve crumbled.

He exhaled shakily, dropping his chin to the top of Lucy's head.

"Yeah. I'm petrified. I'm scared you'll get hurt, I'm scared I won't be able to fight them, I'm scared I'll die here. Mind you, I'm not scared of dying. But I can't die here. I'm not going out because a bunch of disgusting monsters got the better of me. I hate this place, Lucy. I fucking hate it. I came with you because protecting my friends is more important than my dumb fears, but I cannot stand being here," Gajeel confessed.

"I'm sorry," Lucy offered understandingly.

"Don't be. None of this is on you. _I'm_ sorry we have to wait," Gajeel apologised. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't let himself go like that.

"It's okay," Lucy whispered, stretching up to sweetly kiss Gajeel on the cheek. "Let's enjoy our breakfast, and then maybe we can go to the pond again," she suggested.

"I'd love that, Bunny," Gajeel smiled at the blonde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I left you guys with such a mean cliffy and then just disappeared for like a week. I have been shifting houses, so the stress has been REAL, but I'm all settled in now and can get back to writing! Hopefully more regular updates should resume from now! I'm a little nervous with this chapter, because of the lore that I'm spinning around the nature spirit thing. Like I've said before, I never write action/adventure, so generally this kind of world-building is not something I do. Please please please tell me what you think! Is it evident that I'm talking out of my ass or was it actually somewhat palatable? I want all your gorgeous feedback!


	8. Chapter 8

Gajeel and Lucy walked back from the pond hand-in-hand. Their bath together had been a couple hours of flirtatious touches and teasing. Lucy spent several minutes running her hands over Gajeel's body, feeling his abs flex under her palms. Gajeel grabbed Lucy's ass and pulled her up, coaxing her to wrap her legs around his waist.

Lucy ground her wet core into Gajeel's erection and the pair moaned, lips a mere inch apart.

His hands occasionally slipped under the strap of her bra while she sucked on his neck, but they never went further than that. Lucy could tell that Gajeel wasn't fully present. He would pull away every now and then to look into the trees, or his head would whip to the side when leaves rustled.

Lucy understood why he didn't want to be with her more wholly yet. But that understanding didn't help the fact that Lucy was incredibly horny.

Walking back, her hand in Gajeel's, Lucy was maniacally fantasising about Gajeel pinning her to a tree, tearing her bra off, pushing her panties to the side, and sinking his gorgeous cock into her. Lucy had seen enough of his erect dick through his tight briefs to know that he was big and the very thought cock made her drool.

She felt arousal leak out of her and into her underwear.

"Calm down, Bunny," Gajeel chuckled.

"What?" Lucy asked indignantly.

"I can fucking smell sex on you, babe," Gajeel smirked, leaning into Lucy. "And you smell so good," he purred in her ear.

"Damn it, Gajeel, if you aren't going to fuck me right now, you need to stand four feet away and stop teasing me," Lucy whined.

Gajeel laughed, pulling Lucy into a one-armed hug. "Just a couple more days, baby," he winked.

But, abiding by Lucy's request, Gajeel moved four feet away from her.

Lucy giggled and reached out to hold his arm and pull him back. "I was kidd-" she started, before her sentence turned to a scream. Gajeel lunged forward, but the bastardised ape that swung down from the trees already had its arms around Lucy and had pulled her up into the canopy.

"Lucy!" Gajeel screamed after her, scaling the tree at record speed.

The ape monster swung through the trees, with an arm wrapped around Lucy, faster than Gajeel had expected.

He jumped through branches, desperately trying to reach her, but the monster always stayed too far away. And then, in front of Gajeel's eyes, the monster disappeared.

"Fuck!" Gajeel yelled. He knew what he could do, but he risked hurting Lucy in the process. He didn't have time to waste debating these things though, and he quickly dropped back to the ground. Aiming up into the trees, Gajeel drew in a deep breath.

"Iron Dragon Roar!" Gajeel shouted through the trees. The branches shook and broke as Gajeel's magic ripped through the forest. His arms turned to long iron saws and he in a single swoop, Gajeel knocked down twenty trees. With a second roar and another swing of his arms, another twenty trees fell, and this time, a scream followed immediately after. Gajeel darted towards the scream in time to see the ape running away. Gajeel's arm became a club that shot out and knocked the monster in the back, pinning it down. Then, with menacing brutality reminiscent of his Phantom Lord days, Gajeel began clobbering the monster.

The monster wailed under Gajeel's iron club, spitting and hissing as every blow broke a different bone. Purple ichor spilled to the ground, oozing from the multiple gashes Gajeel was leaving.

Eventually, the monster stopped moving. Its breathing stilled and eyes went blank. But still, Gajeel continued bashing the creature.

"Gajeel, stop. It's dead," he heard Lucy croak from somewhere behind him. In his blind rage, he hadn't even noticed her lying on the ground. He didn't register her words, continuing to slam his clubbed arm into its back.

"Gajeel! Stop!" Lucy cried, and finally, Gajeel took a step back. His arm went back to normal and he wiped the purple splatter off his face.

He turned to face Lucy. She was still on the ground, foot bent awkwardly under her, with tears streaming down her face.

"It's dead. Just… Let it be," Lucy pleaded. The sound of Gajeel hitting that creature sickened her.

Woodenly, Gajeel walked back to Lucy.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked mechanically. Rage still coursed through him and it wasn't enough that the creature lay dead. He wanted to kill every single thing in this forest.

"My ankle. I don't think it's broken, but I hurt it as I fell. Also my ribs. They hurt," Lucy responded. She was confused by Gajeel's clinical coldness, but emulated it. She was still in shock, and hadn't yet processed her own emotions.

With careful fingers, Gajeel eased Lucy's foot out from under her and gave it a gentle roll. Lucy winced, but otherwise seemed fine.

"Yeah, it's just a sprain. You'll be okay in a couple days." Then reaching for the hem of her shirt, Gajeel looked at Lucy. "May I?" he asked.

Lucy nodded, allowing Gajeel to lift her shirt up to her bra, revealing her midriff. But when he saw the purple marks on her side, his coldness melted away. A prominent handprint marred her body, perfectly replicating the ape's hand. It spanned the entirety of her abdomen, starting right below her breast and ending at her hip. While the creature hadn't broken skin, it had significantly marked Lucy with a bruise that looked terribly painful. Concern for her surpassed his rage and Gajeel collected her in his arms.

"Oh God, Bunny. Are you okay?"

Lucy looked down at the offending handprint. Now, in the warmth of Gajeel's embrace, Lucy allowed her emotions to surface, and, with a choked gasp, she broke down. She threw her arms around Gajeel and sobbed into his neck, remembering the fear she felt as the creature swung her through the trees.

"I was so scared," she wept desperately, clinging to the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Gajeel began shushing her calmly. "I know, Bunny. I know. I'm so sorry I didn't protect you. Fuck, Lucy. I'm so fucking sorry. I will kill every bastard in this place, I swear. You never have to go through that," he committed.

Lucy sat back and dried her tears. "No. Don't kill everything. Just… Don't let me go, okay? And I won't let you go. Stay with me, Gajeel," she sniffled.

"Okay. I'll never let you go. You'll be safe with me, I promise, Lucy. I'll never let that happen to you again," he said, tenderly stroking her bruise.

The memory of the monster suddenly hit Lucy again and she once more devolved into a puddle of tears. Being lifted and swung through the trees by a large, ugly, smelly, horrifying monster had been the worst experience of Lucy's life and she felt sick just thinking about it. She didn't know what the monster intended to do with her, but every option was too horrific to consider. Once again, she thanked her stars that Gajeel was with her, because she knew that without him, she'd be lucky to leave this forest as a corpse.

"Let's get you back to the tent," Gajeel whispered. When Lucy tried standing up, Gajeel growled protectively before scooping her into his arms.

Neither of them said a word on their walk back, but they held onto one another as if each was the other's life raft.

* * *

"Can you heal her?"

"Gajeel, it's a sprained ankle. It'll heal on its own."

"Shut up, Lucy. Can you heal her? Fix her ankle?"

"My cut was poisoned, Gaj. That's why the spirit healed me. Why would she waste her magic on a sprain? Just help me back to the tent."

"Why are you being so difficult?!"

"Why are you babysitting me so much?! I'm fine, Gajeel!"

"Like fuck you're fine! I know you cried on the walk back here! I felt your tears on my chest!"

"Yes, Gajeel! I got abducted by a monster and hauled through trees! I was fucking terrified! Of course I cried! I'm scared!"

"And I'm not? I'm fucking scared too! Because the last time you were hurt, I thought I healed you, but I hadn't! Your wound was still poisoned. So excuse me for wanting the spirit to fix you, because clearly, I can't take care of you! I broke my promise to your friends and you've been hurt and abducted and poisoned and bruised on my watch!"

Lucy stopped yelling and let her shoulders slump.

"What do you mean, Gajeel? I got hurt. It happens. But without you, I'd be dead. You haven't broken any promise. We can talk about this more if you want, but can we please do so in the tent?"

"Fine," Gajeel grumbled. He slipped an arm around Lucy's waist, supporting her weight as she limped back to the tent.

"You're unravelling, Gajeel," Lucy stated as she awkwardly sat down.

"No need to be so subtle with your criticism," Gajeel mumbled sarcastically. "I'm trying to protect you, Lucy, and you are making that very difficult for me."

"So it's my fault I got picked up by a monster?! I'm sorry my _fucking abduction_ has been such an inconvinence to you!"

"Don't be dramatic, you know what I mean. Obviously I don't think you getting picked up by the monster was an _inconvenience_. But I don't know why you insist on being so obstinate about things like having the spirit heal you! Or why, after me saying it only a billion fucking times, you still won't be more careful," Gajeel gritted.

"It's not like you stopped that monster from picking me up either! So don't blame me for not hearing it! You and your heightened senses should've known it was there! Even you weren't able to stop it from taking me!" Lucy shrieked.

Gajeel's face fell and he recoiled like he'd been slapped. "It's my fault you're hurt… I knew it. And you know it. Fuck," he whispered. He rose to his feet and grabbed Lucy's keys from next to her. He didn't know if this would work, but it was worth a shot.

"What're you doing? Gajeel, sit down. I didn't mean that. You know that's not what I meant," Lucy tried, but Gajeel pointedly ignored her.

"Loke?" he called, holding all the keys in his hand. He didn't know which one was the Lion's or if Loke would even respond to him, but he tried anyway.

"I don't appreciate someone else using my key," Loke drawled, snapping into existence. "That key is _only_ for Lucy."

"Watch her," Gajeel commanded shortly before slinking out of the tent.

"Gajeel! Come back! Gajeel, I didn't mean it was your fault! Please, Gaj!" Lucy cried, trying to go after him, but her ankle couldn't support her. "Gajeel! I'm sorry! Please," Lucy screamed after him, but the Dragon Slayer was long gone. Tears pricked Lucy's eyes as she stared at the tent door.

"What was that about?" Loke asked, wrapping an arm around Lucy who had begun to softly cry.

"He's just… He's just so aggravating!" Lucy yelled, snapping her head up. Her watery eyes glinted with anger. "He treats me like I'm this porcelain doll who he won't even touch because he's afraid I'll break. I know he's worried, and so am I! We're both scared, but he goes overboard! I just need him to trust me and trust that I am trying my level best to stay alive! And he can't take it personally if I get hurt! It's a mission! We get hurt on missions! But no! God forbid little Miss Lucy Heartfilia hurts herself!" Lucy stopped to draw in a breath. She felt herself start to calm down. "I'm _so_ grateful for him. I am. I don't mean for any of this to sound like I'm not. But I just need Gajeel to not work himself up over this…" Lucy sighed.

Loke waited several moments, allowing Lucy to entirely centre herself.

"Princess… What Gajeel has gone through in these Woods… The memory of the experience alone would have broken many strong people. _I_ know how capable and skilled you are, but for someone who has had to fight his way out of here, nearly losing his life multiple times as he did so, his concern isn't unfounded. I don't like watching him coddle you either, but I can't blame him for being overprotective. If I went through what he did… Princess, I'd have handcuffed us together," Loke admitted.

Lucy cracked a small smile before reaching out to squeeze Loke's hand.

"You're a good guy, Loke," she whispered to her friend.

"I can stay if you want, but I suspect you want to talk to Gajeel," Loke said, returning her gentle squeeze.

Lucy nodded.

"Right. Well, I'll go find him and send him back, I guess," Loke grunted, getting ready to exit the tent.

"Don't bother. He'll be back soon enough," Lucy deadpanned. She bid her friend an enthusiastic goodbye before stretching out on the sleeping bag and flipping her book open.

* * *

"I thought I fucking told the Lion to stay," she heard Gajeel growl not ten minutes later.

"I sent him away," Lucy replied coolly, putting her book down. She knew that, sooner or later, Gajeel would realise that he couldn't smell Loke in the tent and so he'd come back. She also knew that Gajeel hadn't gone very far at all. If she was right, he'd most likely have been sitting in a tree a couple hundred meters from the campsite. Close enough to smell the tent's occupants, but far enough to not have to listen to their conversation.

"Lucy!" Gajeel groaned exasperatedly. "Why are you so damn stubborn?"

Lucy glared at him. "Help me up," she bit out sharply, holding out a hand. With a sigh, Gajeel hoisted her to her feet. As soon as Lucy regained her balance, she threw all her weight into her arms and shoved Gajeel. He stumbled back, eyes wide in shock.

"Gajeel, stop! I know you've been through some fucked up shit and I know it isn't easy being back here, but please, Gajeel! Please, you need to trust me!" Lucy cried.

"I trust you! I don't trust the Woods!" he rebutted.

"Still! I can-" Lucy began screaming back before she stopped with an exaggerated sigh. "This is a pointless argument that neither of us can win. So let's drop it. I will try and not lose my temper when you get overprotective, and you try and not treat me like I'm made of glass. Can we do that?" Lucy asked resignedly.

Gajeel considered her offer, and though he felt fully justified in his reactions, he nodded. "So, where do we start? You want to go out and look for food by yourself? I promise to be good and not follow you," Gajeel suggested.

"No. I want to start with this," Lucy whispered huskily before limping the distance between her and Gajeel. He quickly caught her, gripping her waist in his large hands. Lucy looped her arms around his neck and used that as leverage to get up onto her toes. She looked him firmly in the eye, letting him see the lust that clouded her gaze. And then, with determination, Lucy pressed her lips to Gajeel's. His tongue didn't ask for entrance, and she didn't attempt deepening the kiss either. Just soft flesh against soft flesh, Lucy and Gajeel kissed firmly in their tent. When Gajeel moved his hand down to cup Lucy's round ass, she moaned into his mouth. Her core tightened with desire and she pulled away before she lost herself in his mouth. Gajeel's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"I know you didn't want to kiss in the Woods, and I'm sorry I kissed you. I promise to not do anything more until we get out of here. But I wanted to prove to you that we are going to be fine, and that you don't need to worry so much. We'll be okay," Lucy said gently, cupping Gajeel's face between her hands.

"You're ridiculous, Bunny," Gajeel huffed, but his eyes were warm and kind. He pulled Lucy's hand to his lips and kissed her palm gently. "Now let's get some food. All this stress is not good for me," he grumbled.

Lucy nodded, intertwining her fingers with his. She began to hobble out of the tent when a light tug on her wrist pulled her back into Gajeel's chest. He spun her until they were chest-to-chest.

"I know we'll be okay," he rasped before dipping down and capturing Lucy's lips. He ran his tongue over the pink flesh, coaxing her to part her lips. Their tongues danced together as they tasted one another, savouring every moment. Lucy bit down gently on Gajeel's lip and he groaned in response.

"I can't wait to continue this with you when we're out of here," he moaned in her ear.

"It'll be worth the wait," Lucy promised.

"I know. You're always worth it," Gajeel responded with a gentle smile.

* * *

Later that night, Lucy lay snuggled in Gajeel's arms. Though they had both promised that they'd behave themselves until they were out of the Woods, they couldn't help but exchange kisses when wrapped in the others embrace. They kissed each other softly, delicately, with whispered promises of things yet to come. They kissed languidly and gently until Lucy fell asleep with her face tucked into the crook of Gajeel's neck. Her breathing was soft and even, as light puffs of air caressed Gajeel's throat every time she exhaled. Gajeel turned his nose into her hair and deeply inhaled her intoxicating scent. He felt the early tugs of sleep pull at him, and he let his eyes fall shut.

_Lucy. Disappearing into the trees. Lucy. Crumpled on the ground. Lucy. Crying in pain. Lucy. Unconscious. Lucy. Bruised. Lucy. Hurt. Monster. Ape. Bear. Lion. Bull. Morphed._

Gajeel's eyes snapped open. A cold sweat had formed on the back of his neck. It didn't feel real that Lucy was safe and in his arms. He wasn't sure if he was still dreaming, because the image of a fallen Lucy and the image of a gruesome monster felt so real that it seemed impossible that she was, in fact, safe.

"Lucy?" he called, softly shaking the sleeping blonde. "Bunny?" he tried again, shaking harder.

"Hmm?" Lucy muttered groggily.

Gajeel sighed in relief. "Nothing. Sorry. Go back to sleep."

"I'm fine, Gaj. Sleep. We'll be okay," Lucy mumbled, sleepily kissing his chest. "I'm okay," she reassured one last time before falling asleep.

Gajeel drew in a shaky breath. A part of him was touched that Lucy knew him well enough to know why he was waking her up in the middle of the night, but his fears hadn't been entirely abated and he wasn't able to focus on anything other than keeping her safe.

"Fat lot of good you'll do if you're an exhausted motherfucker… Get some fucking sleep," he grumbled softly to himself.

Screwing his eyes shut and willing sleep to wash over him, Gajeel pulled Lucy into his chest tighter, with his arms wrapped around her like a vice, and eventually, he drifted off into a restless, nightmare-fueled sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For people who've been reading my stories for a while and know that I normally upload every day, I'm terribly sorry. Life has suddenly become insanely hectic and I'm barely keeping all my chickens in their coop or some dumb saying to that effect. I am trying very hard to write because it relaxes me, but I seem to be finding very infrequent moments, so I shall no longer commit to rapid uploads, but never fear, I won't go weeks on weeks without an upload. I should still manage a new chap every week to 10 days at most! 
> 
> Now that that's out of the way, did you like this chapter? We finally got a kiss! I aim to build more on the lore and whatnot, but would love to know what specifically you'd like to know more about! Please leave me all your gorgeous gorgeous thoughts about everything and I'm hope you're enjoying this lil fic so far!


	9. Chapter 9

An ear-splitting shriek rocked the forest as the first rays of dawn painted the tent. Lucy and Gajeel both shot up, hair mussed and sleep clouding their eyes as a second scream broke through the early morning air. Lucy could've sworn that the earth below her shook.

"Stay here," Gajeel hissed, leaping to his feet. He was out of the tent door before Lucy even had a chance to argue.

Her sprained and swollen ankle protested as she struggled up. Bracing herself against the walls of the tent, Lucy limped to the opening and gingerly stepped out.

"I don't know what's happening," Gajeel said, his voice panicked as he stared at the spirit. He was standing a good ten feet away from her, flinching every time she spat at him. Lucy watched in horror as the spirit struggled against her binds. But it wasn't the spitting or the snarling that truly worried Lucy. The spirit's eyes were fluctuating between a sky blue and a violent navy. Lucy was about to limp her way to Gajeel when the spirit suddenly stopped. Her eyes stabilised on the sky blue and she flitted her gaze between Lucy and Gajeel, eyes widened in shock.

"I don't think she knows either…" Lucy whispered.

As the words left Lucy's lips, the spirit's eyes snapped back to a dark blue and she resumed her shrieking.

"Keys! Get my keys, Gajeel!" Lucy commanded. Though she was closer to the tent, she knew it would be faster for Gajeel to run in and find them. Rightly enough, mere seconds later, Lucy was summoning multiple spirits.

"Throwing in the kitchen sink, huh?" Gajeel commented as the third spirit, Capricorn, popped into existence.

Lucy merely rolled her eyes before retrieving a silver key. "Grandpa Crux! I need you!" she called.

When the old spirit made his appearance, Lucy began.

"Loke, Virgo, Capricorn, Grandpa Crux, there's something the matt-" Lucy was cut off by a scream that drew everyone's attention.

"What's that about?" Loke drawled.

"That's what I need your help with. I don't know what happened… She was fine yesterday, but today… please help," Lucy begged.

Instantly, the spirits got to work. Which, for Crux, involved snoozing.

Virgo added more chains to the spirit, binding her tightly to the tree, while Capricorn and Loke hunched in front of her, attempting to deduce what was wrong.

"Anything, Crux?" Capricorn asked, noticing when the Cross opened his eyes.

"I have not been able to find any new information. Sorry, Miss Lucy," Crux apologised before vanishing.

"Why is he so fucking useless?" Gajeel growled, staring at the space that once occupied the spirit.

"Can it, Dragon. We know most of what we do because of him," Lucy hissed, glaring at Gajeel. She drew the line at people insulting her spirits.

Gajeel shot her an apologetic look before crossing his arms over his chest and glowering at the nature spirit tied to the tree.

"Miss Lucy, are you sure you want to remain here? Her aura… It's changing rapidly. I am unsure if she is a friend or a foe," Capricorn stated hesitantly.

"Yeah, Princess. I don't know what's happening. She's trying to communicate, but it's broken… I don't understand what's happening to her or what she's trying to tell me…" Loke added.

"Her body is cleansing itself. She is in the last stages of the transformation," Virgo chirped, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The other four looked at her with collective shock and intrigue.

Virgo rolled her eyes. "She's fighting her violent nature, but it's fighting back."

Capricorn nodded in understanding. Then, turning to Lucy, he explained, "Miss Lucy. Remember the Eclipse gate? How you believed that _we_ , the spirits you know, could hear you, despite not being ourselves. You tried talking to us, reasoning with us, but you couldn't. Because what we became took over who we used to be. That process is reversing now. With us, it was instantaneous, but with her," he pointed to the bound spirit, "it is taking time. So what Virgo is trying to say is that whatever made her go rogue doesn't want her going back to normal."

"So what do we do?" Lucy asked, voice still panicked.

"Nothing. Just wait it out. Tomorrow night is the full moon. It should all be over after that," Loke said comfortingly.

Lucy nodded, still unsatisfied. The screaming and thrashing spirit was disconcerting, and it went against Lucy's nature to see the spirit in such strife.

"Miss Lucy, don't fret. It will be fine," Capricorn reassured.

"And we still don't know what made it go rogue, huh?" Gajeel asked. He had been watching Lucy the entire time, and the concern on her face made him wish he could slap the spirit back to normal.

"That we do have some news on, actually!" Loke piped excitedly.

"And you waited till now to tell me?! What the hell, Loke?!" Lucy shrieked, adding to the cacophony the spirit was creating.  
"I'm not sure. I didn't want to get your hopes up. This is just a theory," Loke explained quickly before starting. "So, over the past several hundred years, the Woods have been changing. It began with the experiments on the animals here, which led to the perverse monsters that now roam the forest. With the monsters came humans who believed they could defeat the monsters. First with arrows and knives, and then with magic. Slowly, villages began cropping up along the edges of the Woods. And as the number of humans grew, they started growing their villages into the forest, killing monsters that ventured past the tree line, and forcing the spirits further into the depths of the Woods. The Woods have shrunk, and we believe that the spirits in the Woods are not happy. This one may have been particularly angry, and her rage may have caused her to change. Monsters, humans, spirits - they all used to live in harmony. But I think that balance has tipped. And I think it won't be long before tree spirits, and air spirits, and earth spirits, all slowly go rogue as well," Loke finished with an exhale.

"There are more spirits in the forest?!" Gajeel gawked.

"How is that your only takeaway? Nature spirits! We're in nature! C'mon, Gaj," Lucy elbowed him in his side. He quickly caught her and gently pulled her into him, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. If her spirits were in any way surprised by this gesture, they didn't show it.

"How do we stop that from happening, Loke?" Lucy continued, subtly nestling herself deeper into Gajeel's side.

"I guess tell the villagers to move. At least a few miles south. And plus, we now know what to watch for, so the celestial realm will keep an eye on this place anyway," Loke shrugged.

Lucy nodded in understanding, and Gajeel could practically see the wheels in her head turn.

"One last thing, Loke," she asked, "please ask Gray, Erza, and Natsu to meet us in the village. I suspect we'll need their help in convincing the villagers. They should get to the village by the time we do if they leave tomorrow."

"We don't need-" Gajeel began indignantly before Lucy pressed a finger to his lips.  
"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it," she said sincerely, waving goodbye to her spirits.

"If you want to subject your friends to listening to us fuck for hours, then fine by me," Gajeel huffed after the last spirit winked out of existence.

"We agreed that we weren't going to do anything till we were done with the job," Lucy pointed out.

"No. We agreed we weren't going to do anything until we left the Woods. I still fully intend to absolutely ravage you from the second we enter the village all the way up until we walk into the guild," Gajeel growled, pinning Lucy to his chest and dipping his head until their lips were a fraction of an inch apart.

"Oh? And what about after we enter the guild?" Lucy teased, poking her tongue out to flick across Gajeel's lips.

He smirked, thrilled that she was playing along. Her sultry voice had sent every drop of blood in his body straight to his dick, and he pressed himself against her. She gasped before sensuously grinding herself against his body.

"Once we're in the guild, I'm going to find the nearest dark, little corner, and then I'm gonna push you up against the wall and slide my hands-" Gajeel was cut off by a loud, feral shriek from the bound spirit. He pulled away from Lucy to glare witheringly at the spirit.

"Can you let me have a moment with my girl, you bitch? I'm trying to fucking turn her on, so quit your damn screaming!" He yelled at the tied being.

Lucy burst out laughing, ducking her face into Gajeel's chest to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

 _His girl… Why does that make me so happy?_ Lucy thought to herself, giggling.

"Fucking dumb idiot… Ruining everything. Let's just go inside. I'm hungry and I'm frustrated," Gajeel mumbled petulantly, supporting Lucy by the waist as they walked back into the tent.

"Sexually frustrated, or…" Lucy trailed off. She slowly sat down on the sleeping bag and stretched her leg out

"Yes, obviously. Plus, I don't want to fight monsters or spirits," he spat.

"You like fighting, Gaj! This is exciting!" Lucy tried excitedly, hoping to make him feel better.

He looked at Lucy pointedly. "Are you insinuating that I would rather fight a monster than spend a day in bed with you? Naked? Lucy, I like fighting, but I'm not a virgin prude like Natsu who'd give up sex for a brawl," Gajeel said with a roll of his eyes.

"Natsu's no prude. And he certainly isn't a virgin," Lucy muttered.

Gajeel balked. "And why do you know this? Fuck, don't tell me you were a thing. Everyone said you guys were hooking up, but I didn't think Salamander could get a babe like you."

Lucy quickly waved her hands in front of her face. "No, no! We didn't! I've just… Okay. I was going to Natsu's house one day, just to hang out. And before I could knock, I heard things…" Lucy shuddered. "By the sound of whatever was happening inside, either he and Lisanna were fighting, or they were having some of the most wild sex I have ever heard. I mean, I heard things break and windows rattle," Lucy divulged, dropping her voice to a whisper.

Gajeel shuddered. Picturing Natsu having any kind of sex, much less wild sex, made him slightly queasy.

"Okay okay, stop," Gajeel pleaded, holding his hands up. "I'm not horny anymore, we're fine. Can we eat now?" he grumbled.

* * *

"At least she's quiet now," Lucy noted, looking at the spirit over her shoulder.

The spirit would still hiss and spit, glaring hatefully at the pair, but her eyes had stopped changing colour so maniacally. They were generally a beautiful sky blue, while only occasionally shifting to a violent inky hue. The screams had died down around the time her eyes started stabilizing.

"For two people who jumped into this ass first and eyes closed, I think we've done a great job. Just one more night, and then we're done," Gajeel patted Lucy's arm appreciatively.

They were sitting in front of a crackling fire, keeping warm as the air chilled around them. Being careful to not jostle her still tender ankle, Lucy pulled herself up onto Gajeel's lap, perching herself sideways across his folded legs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder as he tightened his arms around her, gently trailing his fingers up and down her side.

"I'm glad my friends insisted on someone following me. And I'm glad that someone was you," Lucy whispered. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, peppering the skin there with feathery kisses.

"I'm glad it was me too," Gajeel murmured huskily. He crooked a finger under Lucy's chin, coaxing her to face him.

"I didn't see this coming when I first saw you outside my tent," Lucy confessed.

"I did. You're beautiful, I'm amazing, it was meant to be," Gajeel said with a wink.

"Mm, amazingly hot," Lucy purred before stretching her neck to flutter a kiss over his lips. When Gajeel responded by capturing Lucy's bottom lip within his own, the blonde deepened the kiss, allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth. Her hand snaked up his bare torso, along the length of his long neck, and into his thick, jet black hair. Gajeel groaned into her mouth, shuddering lightly when Lucy ran her tongue along his lip. Their mouths collided frantically, hands roving each other's bodies, until the pair were panting desperately. Lucy raked her nails down Gajeel's chest, mewling wantonly as he sucked on her throat. Her hands flitted down to his leather pants, and her nimble fingers began undoing the fastenings.

Suddenly, his hand was on her throat, gently applying pressure as he pushed her face away. Her eyes were blown wide with lust, lips swollen and glistening as she drew in staggered breaths.

"Behave, baby. We have an audience," Gajeel whispered huskily. His gaze flitted to the spirit, now quiet and unmoving.

"I don't care," Lucy gasped, reaching forward once more.

Gajeel tightened his grip on her throat. "Soon," he promised. He let his hand drift from her throat to the neck of her top. In one swift move, he pulled her top down, just far enough to reveal the swell of her breasts. He bent his head and nipped at the soft flesh, leaving a small purple bruise on Lucy's boob. He soothed it with a lick and kiss before kissing a hot trail up her throat until he reached her lips.

"It is taking _everything_ to not have you right here, right now," Gajeel murmured throatily. He buried his nose in Lucy's hair and deeply inhaled before continuing to whisper in her ear. "I want to feel you under me, Bunny girl. I want to know what my name sounds like when you scream it. I want to know what you taste like."

Lucy clenched her legs together, desperate to relieve the ache in her centre.

"Damn it, you irritating fucking Dragon," she hissed. Arousal flooded her and she _needed_ Gajeel between her thighs.

"What did I do?" Gajeel asked, feigning innocence as he ghosted kisses along her neck.

"Stop turning me on. It's not fair," Lucy pouted.

"Does that mean you want me to stop doing _this?"_ Gajeel purred, running a finger up Lucy's thigh, stopping two inches from her very wet centre.

Lucy's eyes rolled back in her head before she quickly rearranged her features into a scowl.

"I'm done with you," she grumbled, pushing herself off Gajeel. She hobbled back to the tent, scowling and muttering insults under her breath as Gajeel watched her retreating figure, chortling as she walked off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I am not thrilled with this chapter. I don't hate it, but also don't love it. Could I have spent a couple more days tweaking it and making it a little better? Sure. But honestly, I am as eager as you guys are to get done with this adventure part, get these two hotties out of the woods, and get on with the romance bit. We got a couple more action chapters coming up, and I hope you liked the spirit lore. I may still expand on it a little more, but we are getting to the romance, I promise! (I swear I won't be sad or judge you if you only skimmed through this chapter. I understand, I am bored of adventure too, I need some lemons up in this fic).
> 
> As always, please leave me your gorgeous thoughts! It makes my day/week/month/year


	10. Chapter 10

" _Fuck, baby, you feel so good."_

" _Oh my god, more, Gajeel. Please, more!"_

" _Good fucking girl, baby. God, your pussy is fucking incredible."_

" _Deeper deeper deeper! Don't stop, Gajeel! Please don't stop!"_

It was the slight chill across her shoulders and legs that began to wake Lucy up. Her abdomen and sides, however, were strangely warm. It took Lucy's brain a few sleep-addled seconds to realise that Gajeel was straddling her thighs, with her shirt pushed up to under her bra and his hands gripping her sides, as he decorated her stomach with hot, open kisses. Lucy lifted her head to look at him through half-lidded eyes, and when he caught her gaze, he smirked. Gajeel slid down her body, trailing kisses from her ribs, past her belly button, down to the waistband of her shorts. Then, with a cocked brow and a ridiculously sexy grin, he slid her shorts down her legs. Lucy, now suddenly wide awake, lifted her hips to allow him to maneuver the garment down to her ankles, where she promptly kicked it off. Comfortably positioned between her bent knees, Gajeel tipped forward to deeply kiss Lucy on the mouth.

"What's all this?" she asked, brushing her lips against his as she spoke.

"Were you having a naughty dream, Lucy?" Gajeel questioned in response. The glint in his eyes told Lucy that he already knew the answer. She swallowed thickly.

"Tell me what it was," he purred.

"It was you and me-" Lucy started.

"Obviously."

"Shut up. And we were in bed. Together."

"Like every night so far?"

"No. We were…" Lucy blushed furiously.

"Tell me, Bunny. I want to know."

"We were having… Y'know."

"We've discussed this many times, I don't know why you're suddenly bashful."

"It's one thing to talk about it, it's a whole other thing to have a very vivid dream!"

"Tell me." Gajeel commanded, his voice now firm. Lucy felt a shiver of desire run up her spine.

"You were on top of me. I was on my stomach. I could feel the cool pillow against my cheek. You were holding my hair with one hand and pushing me down into the mattress with the other. And you were whispering all these things in my ear. I could feel your warm breath on my skin. And the sound of our bodies connecting… God, it was so good," Lucy's eyes fluttered shut as scenes from her dream came back to her. A fresh wave of wetness seeped into her underwear.

The scent wafted up to Gajeel, reminding him of what woke him up in the first place. Hearing her soft moans and smelling her arousal was undoubtedly the best way to start his day.

"Fuck." Gajeel whispered. "I could smell you getting wet and, Bunny, it drove me insane. I had to know what was turning you on so much."

"You. You're turning me on," Lucy whispered. She hooked her legs around Gajeel's waist, forcing him to fall forwards onto her. He braced himself on his elbows at the last second to avoid crushing the blonde below him.

Lucy pushed her hips up into his groin, knowing that Gajeel would be able to feel her damp panties. As if in a trance, Gajeel slowly pushed her shirt up over her bra before hooking a finger through one of the straps and pulling the cup down to free her breast. Lucy hissed as the cold air gusted over her nipple, instantly hardening it.

"Fuck, Lucy," Gajeel strangled out. Lucy held her breath in anticipation as Gajeel slowly lowered his head to her pink nub.

"Gajeel," Lucy moaned, her voice brimming with lust.

The Iron Dragon Slayer lifted his head, leaning forward to press an urgent kiss to Lucy's lips, full of want and desire. Then, with his breath ghosting across her body, he moved his face back down to her breast. His lips were parted, ready to suck her nipple into his mouth, when he suddenly froze. He was less than an inch away from her aching nub when he flicked his head to the side.

"Put your clothes back on," he gritted, removing himself from between Lucy's legs. "We have company."

Lucy awkwardly rearranged her bra and top, getting up onto her feet and pulling on her shorts before following Gajeel, who'd bolted out of the tent. The sun was yet to rise above the horizon, but the sky had lightened into an orange-purple hue in anticipation of dawn.

Gajeel's arm was a club as he stood, knees slightly bent as if ready to pounce, facing a tree.

"What did you hear?" Lucy whispered, but Gajeel didn't respond. He bared his teeth, growling at whatever was in the canopy. Lucy was about to repeat her question when a tiger/parrot leapt out of the tree. It was smaller than a regular tiger, but not by much. Instead of a snout and whiskers, it had a red beak, clashing horrifyingly with its orange fur. Instead of black stripes, olive green markings adorned its body. It opened its beak and a sound somewhere between a squawk and a roar left it. Even from her distance, Lucy could see purple ichor staining its small, sharpened teeth. It's claws were extended as it flew towards Gajeel, but the creature was no match for the Dragon Slayer. With a swift blow, Gajeel sent the monster sailing several feet back before hitting a tree and then the ground. It's back was bent unnaturally as it stilled on the forest floor.

"Behind you, Gajeel!" Lucy screamed. Gajeel whipped around in time to see a boar with the tail and hooves of a horse come charging at him. Another sickening blow and the monster limped off with a gaping hole in its chest. It staggered away for a few feet before collapsing to the ground with a wheeze.

"If only I had been this strong the last time I was here. Might not have almost died then," Gajeel mumbled, stretching his arms above his head.

"Gaj... Look at her," Lucy said in a loud whisper.

The bound spirit was slumped over, her chin on her chest. Her eyes were closed. Lucy walked up to the spirit, grateful that her ankle was no longer slowing her down. The spirit didn't react as Lucy approached it. It didn't even react when Lucy was a foot away. The blonde crouched down and slowly extended her hand, watching for some kind of movement. Gently, she cupped the spirit's cheek. It felt like she'd dipped her hand into a flowing river. The spirit's skin was cool and almost undulating, yet solid and supple. Lucy felt like she had been parched and the spirit had just quenched her thirst. And underneath the calm, refreshing skin, Lucy felt the familiar warm pulse of magic. The Celestial mage sighed in relief.

"She's alive. I can feel her magic energy. Should I call my spirits?" she asked, turning to look at Gajeel.

He shook his head. "No point, I think. Like Loke said, we just gotta wait it out. I'm sure she'll be fine," he said compassionately.

Lucy nodded. She got up and began walking back to the tent when she heard a hiss and then a shout. She spun around to find Gajeel, his body now solid iron, wrestling a large, fanged possum. The creature was nearly as big as Gajeel, and purple ichor dripped from its bared fangs. The viscous liquid fell onto Gajeel's shoulder and ran off in putrid rivulets.

Without waiting to see who was winning, Lucy dashed into the tent. She grabbed the key she was looking for before rushing back outside.

"Sagittarius!" she called loudly. In the next second, the horse archer stood by her side, and another second later, without any command from Lucy, the monster had eight arrows lodged in its body.

"I had that under control," Gajeel grunted as he shoved the dead creature off of him. His body changed back to warm flesh, and with a disgusted groan, he wiped away the remnants of the ichor.

"A 'thank you' is good enough," Lucy shot back.

"Thanks Sagittarius," Gajeel muttered petulantly.

The spirit nodded at Gajeel before turning to Lucy. "Anything else, Miss Lucy?" he asked with a bow.

"No, thank you, Sagittarius," Lucy beamed as her spirit bowed once more before vanishing.

"Why today? We haven't had a monster come at us in a while, so what changed?" Gajeel immediately questioned.

"I think it's the spirit. The monsters were scared of her, remember? But she's unconscious. Maybe that's why they're back. Her presence was protecting us."

Gajeel nodded. He didn't look entirely convinced, but Lucy couldn't blame him. Just when they were starting to let their guard down, the monsters returned, and so did Gajeel's nightmares. Lucy knew that tonight would be difficult for Gajeel. He was already getting jittery and nervous. She watched him pace up and down, his eyes frantically scanning the trees. There were sounds indiscernible to Lucy that would catch Gajeel's attention and he'd swing his head, his long mane whipping across his back. This went on for several minutes. Lucy stood patiently, watching him scope the place. She didn't bother telling him that nothing was in the trees, because a very large part of her was worried that horrifying monsters lurked mere feet above their heads.

Eventually, she approached her Dragon Slayer. She placed her hand on his back in an attempt to calm him. At her touch, Gajeel flinched away with a hiss.

"Your scar… I'm sorry, Gajeel, I forgot," Lucy apologised. That light touch against the large cut running down his back was enough to jolt the memory of its occurrence into his already frazzled mind.

"It's fine, it's fine," Gajeel said with a vague shake of his head.

"We'll be okay," Lucy tried. When Gajeel gave her an exasperated look, she shrugged. "Fine, I don't _know_ that we'll be okay, but Gajeel, you going into this tailspin won't help anyone. We've been dealing with monsters this entire time. Today will be no different."

"What if they're hungrier? Or more aggressive? We don't know _anything_ , Lucy! These Woods are a goddamn riddle, and you and I have no idea what is up and what is down. Even with the spirit, everything we "know" comes from mildly educated guesses. So if the monsters go away and then suddenly come back, I am going to be worried, because it means that, once again, _you can die_." Gajeel enunciated his words with pronounced claps.

He gripped Lucy by the shoulders. "I know you'll fight me on this, but _please_ just stay in the tent? Feel free to call your spirits, I don't care. But _you_ stay inside. Please," he begged.

Lucy shook her head. "I'm not leaving you out here alone."

"Give me Loke. Or Virgo. Or both. I'm fine with that. But Lucy, if I know that you are in harm's way, I will not be able to fight. I will spend every second watching you and making sure you're fine when I should be watching the trees. So please. Do this one thing for me."

Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but when she saw the desperation in his eyes, she clamped her lips shut and nodded stiffly.

"Loke is going to be with you the entire time," she reiterated, to which Gajeel nodded in agreement. Lucy got up on her toes and pressed a quick but frantic kiss to Gajeel's lips. Pulling away, she cupped his face gently.

"If I have any reason to believe you are in danger, I will come outside. I don't give a fuck about any monsters. So you better be careful and stay safe. Understood?" she instructed sternly.

"Understood," Gajeel's lips curled into a soft smile. "These bitches don't got anything on me anyway," he said, the cocky twinkle returning to his eyes.

"There we go," Lucy giggled, turning around to walk away. She gasped when she felt Gajeel's hand swat her ass, and turned to give him her best coquettish smile. With a final wink, Gajeel bounded towards the trees before leaping up into them and out of sight.

* * *

Lucy could feel her magic energy sapping away as Loke fought outside with Gajeel. Lucy could hear the terrible sound of growls and screams. She heard Gajeel and Loke shout instructions at each other. Occasionally, things would fall silent, and one of the men would stick their head into the tent to check on Lucy, until the other called him back. The monsters were attacking with renewed vigour, and the last time Gajeel poked his head into the tent, he was drenched in sweat and looking exhausted. It took all of Lucy's self-control to not reach out, grab him, and hold him close to her. She absolutely hated sitting in the tent, and she was having an imaginary argument with Gajeel in her head, where she was yelling at him for leaving her out.

_I can't believe I'm sitting here when Loke is out there fighting. I should be with him! I should be with Gajeel! God, I hate Gajeel right now. I can't believe he's treating me like I'm useless. I can help! I can fight monsters! I'm good with the whip! Gajeel doesn't know anything. He just underestimates me. I should go out there anyway. Stand by my spirit while he fights. But… I know where Gajeel is coming from. My reflexes are not as fast as Gajeel's or Loke's… He just wants me safe, and I'd get in their way. I can fight. I know I can. But I'd struggle holding my own against so many monsters… But I could still help. One more person will lighten the load. Okay, I'm doing it. Fuck Gajeel's dumb orders. Loke is fighting and I need to be with my spirit._

Having talked herself into going against Gajeel's instructions, Lucy affixed her whip to her side before stepping out of the tent.

"Go inside Lucy!" Gajeel immediately yelled. He was a few feet away from her, slicing through a large alligator/pig.

With his head turned to face her, he didn't notice the winged snake that flew at him.

"Gajeel!" Lucy yelled. Before she could process what she was doing, she ran towards the creature and flicked her whip at it. The winged snake went careening into a tree, and fell to the ground, stunned, at which point Loke promptly blew it to pieces.

"See?! You distracted me!" Gajeel screamed at the blonde.

"Distracted you?! I saved your fucking ass!"

"I wouldn't have needed saving if you just stayed inside like I asked!"

"Not now, guys!" Loke yelled, cutting through their fight. He didn't look as tired as Gajeel, but Lucy knew her magic energy was low and he'd have to go back soon.

"It's almost dusk," Loke continued. "Tonight's the full moon. Hopefully she'll wake up as the moon rises and the monsters will leave."

"Loke, I'm going to run out of magic energy soon," Lucy said frantically.

"Hold out for a little longer, Princess. And stay inside. You need to conserve your power," Loke bit out as he proceeded to dismember an unidentifiable creature.

Lucy threw Gajeel one last look, but when he didn't turn to meet her gaze, she stalked into the tent, zipping it shut behind her.

Screwing her eyes shut, Lucy channeled her magic energy into Loke, willing it to last her and her spirit until dusk.

"Just a few more minutes," Lucy muttered. She chanted this like a mantra for the next half hour until, finally, she heard the rapid scampering of multiple footsteps.

Another minute later, and her tent door unzipped.

"All done, Princess. The sun's set, the moon is on the horizon, and the spirit has started stirring. The worst of it should be behind us," Loke let her know softly.

Lucy let out a breath that had been stuck in her throat.

"Rest now. You've had my gate open almost all day," Loke said kindly.

"Where's Gajeel?" Lucy croaked.

"He'll be here in a minute. I just wanted to let you know first. And Princess…" Loke trailed off.

Lucy raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Go easy on Gajeel. He was worried and he cares about you. He doesn't think you aren't capable. He just wanted to do whatever he could to keep you safe," Loke exhaled deeply after giving Lucy a knowing look.

Lucy was still too irritated with Gajeel to want to heed Loke's advice. "Thank you, Loke," she said sincerely, not wanting to engage with him about Gajeel.

Loke took the hint, and with a nod, flickered away in a shower of golden sparks.

Not a minute later, Gajeel trudged in.

"You're injured. I can help. Though I'm sure a big, strong man like you doesn't need me to fix him," Lucy mumbled passive-aggressively.

Gajeel breathed heavily through his nose and the pair locked eyes, both glaring at each other, waiting for the other to succumb. Finally, Gajeel averted his gaze and sat down next to Lucy.

"I'd really appreciate the help. Thank you," he grumbled softly.

Lucy balked momentarily before quickly collecting herself.

"Okay," she whispered, standing up. Quickly bounding around the tent, Lucy retrieved everything she needed to clean and bandage Gajeel's wounds.

"Are these going to get infected? Do you need the spirit?" Lucy whispered as she wiped the few scratches he had.

"No, these are from hitting trees and the ground. I made sure none of those suckers clawed me."

"You're sure?" Lucy double-checked.

"Yes, I'm sure. They just bruised me," Gajeel assured. "It's gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow, but I'll be fine. Nothing's bleeding, nothing's broken. That's what's important."

Sitting behind him, Lucy gently rubbed salve onto the purple spots appearing across Gajeel's bronzed torso and arms. They sat in silence for several moments as she carefully addressed his injuries.

"I think you're amazing, Bunny," Gajeel finally whispered. Lucy paused her ministrations. "You kept Loke's gate open all day. That can't have been easy. And when you stopped that snake? That was incredible, Lucy. I know _exactly_ what you're capable of, and I think you're amazing. Me asking you to stay inside today wasn't because I didn't think you could fight, or because I thought you'd slow me down or get in my way. It had nothing to do with you. You are so brilliant. You really are. You're smarter than anyone I know. Maybe except Levy and Freed, but they're just abnormal. Besides them though, you're the smartest person I know, and you're an incredibly strong wizard. I think you could even make S-Class. Please, don't be mad at me," he asked softly.

"Then why? Why did you make me sit in here like some weakling all day?" Lucy asked, voice thick with emotion. She was angry at having been left out, but touched at what Gajeel said, and the combined emotions caused her eyes to well with tears. Gajeel turned to face her.

"Don't cry, Bunny," he begged, wiping an errant tear away with the pad of his thumb.

"I felt so useless. And it hurt when you said I distracted you. I just wanted to help. This was supposed to be _my_ mission," Lucy said petulantly, more tears slipping out of her eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry. I honestly am. You didn't distract me, I just stopped caring about anything except keeping you safe, even if that meant putting myself at risk. I asked you to stay inside because I need you safe. And keeping you away from the fight was the only way I knew how. I'm sorry you felt useless - that wasn't my intention. And Lucy, think about it. I wouldn't have been alive if I fought alone. Loke kept me alive, and you kept Loke with me. So, though you may not have been out there next to me, it's because of you that I'm not some gross pile of flesh and blood and bones now." Gajeel allowed himself a small smile.

Through her tears, a small giggle escaped Lucy's lips. "That was unnecessarily graphic," she laughed, drying her eyes.

"Do you forgive me?" Gajeel asked, cupping her face.

Lucy pretended to consider his question. "Maybe," she grinned slyly.

Gajeel rolled his eyes before leaning forward and capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. He gripped her waist and pulled her onto his lap, encircling her in his arms. Lucy twisted her fingers into his hair, moaning and tugging at his locks when he bit down on her lip.

"Tomorrow," he whispered into her mouth.

"I can't wait," Lucy purred back before letting her lips drift down to his throat.

With teasing touches, kisses, licks, and bites, Gajeel and Lucy spent their last night in the Woods as the spirit outside rose from her slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almooost done with the Woods! And, in good news, I have a decent idea of where this story is going, and don't worry, not only is there proper smut coming up, but there will be more plot even after we're done with the woods! So hopefully you are enjoying this and will stick around for everything that's yet to come! I know this feels like it's kinda not going anywhere and every chapter is just them fighting monsters and kissing, but I pinky swear, this was the last one like that! I just had to go through the process because I worked myself into that corner! But you will have fresh, new, non-monster content from the next chapter! 
> 
> As always, please hit me with your stunning thoughts! Your reviews mean the absolute world to me and I read and re-read each one!


	11. Chapter 11

Lucy began to stir awake, and before she had the chance to flutter her eyelids open, she _knew_ something was different. The Celestial Mage shot up and drew in a large breath through her nose. The air smelt fresher, for some reason. And if she tried very hard, and paid very close attention, she could almost hear birds, but that could have just been her mind playing tricks on her. Sitting in the sleeping bag, inside the tent, Lucy knew deep in her gut that outside the canvas walls, the sky was a brilliant blue and white clouds speckled the azurean expanse. She could damn near feel the warm sun and gentle breeze across her neck, and her face split into a grin.

She turned to face her sleeping Dragon, sprawled on his stomach with his arms tucked under his head. Despite the various piercings and studs that adorned his face, Gajeel looked gentle in his sleep. His long, dark lashes brushed his cheeks, and his full lips were slightly parted as he breathed in short puffs. Lucy combed her fingers through his hair before lying back down to be level with his face.

"Gajy. Gajy, wake up. It's over. Wake up," she called softly, jostling his shoulder.

"No," he responded shortly in a sleepy mumble.

"No…? No, it's not over, or no, you don't want to wake up?" Lucy clarified, confused.

"No, you cannot call me Gajy," the man grumbled, opening one eye.

"Why not? It's cute! Gajy. I like it!" Lucy retaliated indignantly.

"Because I am not a nine year old girl. Call me Gajeel, Gaj, Dragon, Dumbass, Sexy, Daddy, I'm good with all those. But not Gajy, please," Gajeel shifted to his side and propped himself up on his elbow.

"You're such a buzzkill, _Gajeel_ ," Lucy scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Gajeel looked at her mischievously before launching himself at her and knocking the blonde to her back. He climbed on top of her, hovering above her body.

"I really wouldn't mind you calling me Daddy, gorgeous," he smirked, his breath ghosting over her lips.

"Fat chance," Lucy snipped back.

"But it would be…" Gajeel dropped his face until his lips just barely touched hers, "so hot," he finished.

Lucy jerked her head up, trying to fuse her mouth to his, but Gajeel teasingly snapped his head back, denying her.

"Kiss me, goddamnit," Lucy whined, craning her neck once more. Her hands went around his neck as she tried to coax his face back down to hers.

"You know what you have to do," Gajeel chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

"Kiss me… _please_?" Lucy tried. She knew what he was hinting at but she wasn't ready to give in yet.

"Nope," Gajeel popped his lips on the 'p'. "C'mon Luce. Don't you want this?" Gajeel continued to tease. He gently bucked his hips, pushing his growing erection into her core. He bent down and flicked his tongue over her lips, pulling away quickly when she tried to kiss him. "I _really_ want to kiss you, but I'm not going to. I'm just gonna play with you a little until you decide to be a good girl," he purred, scraping his teeth over her earlobe and sending shivers of desire up her spine. He moved his face down, kissing her throat, while he brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. Lucy briefly pulled the digit into her mouth, before allowing Gajeel to drag the finger down to her breast. Gajeel dotted her face with soft kisses, being careful to avoid her mouth.

As he teased her, Lucy felt her resolve begin to crumble. Finally, unable to control her desire, she flitted her lips close to Gajeel's ear. "Kiss me, daddy," she moaned, and was instantly rewarded when Gajeel's lips came crashing down on hers. She tightened her arms around his neck, holding him in place, while he skimmed a hand up her side. She rocked her hips into his and arched her back, pushing her breasts into his chest. They kissed furiously, biting each other's lips, nuzzling each other's necks, and moaning into each other's mouths until they were thoroughly out of breath. With swollen, tender lips, they finally pulled away.

"I was just teasing, by the way," Gajeel panted. "You don't need to call me daddy."

"Good, because that's not happening again," Lucy giggled. If she was being honest, though, it had given her a bit of a thrill.

"Well, don't make any promises. But seriously, no Gajy," the Dragon Slayer reiterated, looking intently at the blonde underneath him.

With a sigh, Lucy acquiesced. "Alright, fine. Now up. We have a job to finish today. I think it's all done," Lucy bit her lip in excitement, wincing when the tender flesh protested.

Gajeel rolled off of her and was on his feet in an instant. Holding his hand out, he helped Lucy up, and together, they walked out of the tent.

A gasp left Lucy's lips when she stepped outside. It was everything she imagined, but better. The sky was a blue bluer than she thought possible. The trees were a viridian green, highlighted gold by the deliciously warm sun. A gentle breeze blew through the forest, whistling through the leaves. And there, still bound, sat a very docile, very enigmatic, very beautiful, smiling spirit.

"Gajeel, look," Lucy whispered, tugging at his hand. Then, releasing herself from his grasp she tentatively approached the spirit. The spirit just gazed at her serenely as she walked towards it hesitantly. A few feet away, Lucy stopped and raised an eyebrow, silently asking for permission. Almost imperceptibly, the spirit nodded. Lucy sat down in front of the spirit, brown eyes locked with blue ones.

"Keys, please," Lucy asked softly, not wanting to make any loud noise that would startle the spirit. Gajeel dashed into the tent and was out a second later, placing Lucy's keys into her hand.

"Virgo?" Lucy called, and when the maiden appeared, Lucy asked her to remove the chains from the spirit.

"Are you sure, Princess? Do you think Loke should be here as well? Maybe Capricorn? In case something goes wrong?"

Lucy shook her head. With absolute certainty in her voice, she replied "No, Virgo, thank you. I'll be fine. You can unbind her, and then you may return, if you want."

Virgo didn't push the matter. She made quick work of undoing her chains, and then, with a deep bow, she poofed away.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked the spirit. The being had made no movement after being untied. She simply sat on the ground and watched Lucy. Gajeel hovered a few feet away, looking at the spirit with a healthy amount of suspicion.

"I don't think she understands you," he pointed out.

Lucy turned back to look at him before returning her gaze to the spirit.

"Are you-" she started again, this time slower. Before she could finish, the spirit nodded.

Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "You understand me?" she asked with a nervous giggle.

The spirit outstretched her hand, holding it inches from the side of Lucy's face.

"What're you doing?" Gajeel growled, taking a step forward. The spirit flicked her eyes up to Gajeel, and something in her gaze stopped the man in his tracks.

"I'm okay," Lucy whispered. Then, ever so slowly, she tipped her head to the side, letting her cheek fall into the spirit's palm.

Her eyes immediately fluttered shut and Lucy felt like she had just taken a dip into the loveliest river. An inexplicable sense of calm and serenity washed over her. And then she heard the spirit.

* * *

_Thank you. I am once more the river, not the poison. I am the ponds and the lakes. I had forgotten who I was. I only remember being poison._

_Who are you?_

_I am the water in the forest. I am the water in the ocean. I am the water in the sky._

_Are you the only water spirit?_

_No. There are more like me. And more who aren't like me, but are still conduits of nature. Just like your spirits, who are the protectors of the heavens._

_You know about my spirits?_

_I am older than many celestial bodies. I saw them being birthed. I saw them being named. I saw them come to earth and form bonds with individuals like yourself._

_Why don't you have a key? Why are you so different from my spirits?_

_You'll find nature is not easy to control. I cannot submit, I cannot yield. I am water. I cannot be held._

_Is that why no one knows anything about you? Your kind?_

_Don't you know of water? Don't you know of the air and the mud and the trees and the mountains? You know us. You've always known us. We are nothing more and nothing less than facets of nature herself._

_But you went rogue._

_The earth shakes and the sea rises and mountains fall and trees burn. We are capable of immense destruction, when we need to. I went further than many and lost my path. I became poison._

_Why? Why did you go rogue?_

_Because the balance tipped. There was filth in my river, there were people encroaching on my home. Trees were felled, animals were killed, I was defiled. I needed to protect my home. I became poison._

_You keep saying you became poison. Did you know what you were doing?_

_Yes._

_Why didn't you stop?_

_I forgot how to._

_Will you do it again?_

_If I need to._

_You can't! People will die!_

_It is my responsibility to maintain the balance. It is my responsibility to ensure sanctity. The lives of a clutch of humans becomes inconsequential to an ancient being that nourishes the planet. I will do what I need to do to ensure the balance between human and nature remains intact._

_What can I do to ensure you don't go rogue again?_

_You can't ensure it._

_Can I ask the villagers to move?_

_That will help. For now. But in a hundred years, or a thousand years, or four thousand years, if that balance tips, I will do what I must to right it._

_That's very far away._

_Not for me. I may rest my eyes, and when I wake, your grandchildren will be nearing the end of their lives._

_Are you evil?_

_Is water evil?_

_No._

_Is the air evil?_

_No._

_Is nature evil?_

_No._

_There's your answer._

_Are you a threat?_

_No. I am water. I am neither good nor bad, friend nor foe. I simply am._

_I'll talk to the villagers. Please, don't do anything. Give me a few days._

_Take a few years if you need to. I have raged and I have battled, and now I must rest._

_Thank you._

_No, child. Thank you. You made me remember what it meant to be water._

* * *

Lucy sat up with a gasp. She looked around wildly, but couldn't see the spirit anywhere.

"What happened?" Gajeel asked, darting up to her and crouching down on the ground next to the Celestial mage.

"Where is she?" Lucy's voice rose with panic.

"She kind of… melted? I don't know. You put your cheek in her palm and she suddenly became liquid and seeped into the ground," Gajeel answered with a shrug.

"What? How long was my cheek on her palm before this happened?"

"Lucy, are you alright? You put your cheek on her palm like three seconds ago. She cupped your face, turned to liquid, and you opened your eyes. That's why I asked what happened."

Lucy shook her head vehemently. "No. No, no. I had a full conversation with her. We talked. For a while. At least ten minutes…"

Gajeel gently put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "It was a second. Maybe two. That's all," he said comfortingly.

"I don't understand…" Lucy stood up, pulling Gajeel up with her.

"Maybe some things are meant to stay a mystery. More importantly, you _talked_ to her? What about?" Gajeel asked incredulously.

"Not talked, per se… I mean, it was a conversation, but she wasn't speaking. It's like her thoughts were appearing in my head. I can't explain it," Lucy said, dragging her feet back to the tent.

"What did you talk about?" Gajeel probed. Once inside the tent, Lucy curled up in Gajeel's lap, her head against his shoulder, and she told him everything.

* * *

It was late morning by the time they were done packing.

"You sure you don't want your spirits around?" Gajeel asked one more time, hoisting his bag over his shoulder.

"We stick by the river. Follow it. Nothing will attack us."

"Why are you so sure, Lucy? It feels like a big, dumb risk," Gajeel huffed.

"I'm telling you. She'll protect us. We just need to walk along the river. It anyway leads to the village, so we'll be fine."

With a roll of his eyes, Gajeel succumbed.

And rightly enough, she did protect them. Not once on their several hour hike through the North Woods did Lucy and Gajeel encounter a single monster. They hugged the riverbank, with Lucy occasionally stopping to dip her hand into the river, almost as if she was trying to talk to the spirit once more.

After an uneventful, albeit beautiful, hike, Lucy spotted the village in the distance.

"Almost there! Can't wait to sleep on a real bed! And have a shower!" she moaned ecstatically.

"And have multiple rounds of amazingly hot sex with Gajeel," the Iron Dragon Slayer mumbled to himself. "Forget about that, why don't you? It's not like it'll rock both our worlds or anything."

"What are you mumbling about?" Lucy asked over her shoulder.

"Nothing, beautiful. Just excited to be back in civilization," Gajeel replied smoothly.

Lucy practically skipped in excitement as they neared the village, and without wasting any time, she grabbed Gajeel's hand and navigated her way to the nearest inn.

"And now," she said, coming to a halt in front of the inn doors, "I believe we have things to do together." Her eyes twinkled naughtily.

Gajeel growled in the back of his throat before swooping down and pressing a heated kiss to her lips. He tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling her close, and a small part of Lucy was concerned that they'd end up fucking each other right there on the street. But before this worry could mount, Gajeel pulled away with a groan and a string of profanities.

"I fucking forgot about them," he hissed, brow furrowed in irritation. Taking a step away from Lucy, Gajeel quickly combed her hair back into place. He dropped his hands to his sides right as Lucy heard a familiar voice.

"Hey guys!"

Lucy turned to see a shock of pink hair, attached to the grinning face of her best friend. Behind him were Happy, Erza, and Gray.

"You guys came!"

"'Course we did, Lucy. We were packing before Loke had finished delivering the message," Gray drawled.

"Now, how can we help?" Erza asked, jumping to action.

"By leaving," Gajeel whispered ever so softly.

"What was that, Iron Face?" the other Dragon Slayer perked up.

"Nothing, Flame Brain. Good to see you all," Gajeel tried keeping his voice as level as possible.

"Good to see you both two! It's gonna be a fun couple days," Natsu smiled, walking up to Lucy and Gajeel. He slung an arm across each of their shoulders, giving them both a squeeze.

"Missed you crazy kids." Then, with a pat on their backs, Natsu began walking towards the inn doors, talking a mile a minute. "Okay, I'm starving. Let's check in, get food, and then get down to business. Want to share a room, Luce? Nah, we'll get separate rooms. I'll end up in your room anyway, but just in case, you know. Happy doesn't like your snoring. So that's five rooms? Let's head on in!"

Lucy followed Natsu into the inn, flanked by Erza, Gray, and Happy.

"Fuck," Gajeel groaned under his breath, trudging behind the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We done with the woods so you know lemons are around the corner! And I'm just thrilled because my writer brain has been very productive and on top of her shit this weekend, and it feels good to upload a new chapter without having to endure like a week of writers block! Anyhoo, I am thirsty af for all your beautiful reviews, so please, help a gal out!


	12. Chapter 12

There was a firm knock at Lucy's door, just as she was slipping out of her clothes. She hastily pulled a robe on and went to answer, hoping that a certain Dragon Slayer was waiting on the other side.

She was right - it was a Dragon Slayer. Just not the one she wanted.

"Yes, Natsu?" she asked, trying hard to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Hungry? We're going to go grab a bite," he said, gesturing over his shoulder. Only then did Lucy notice three more people and a cat standing a few feet behind the pink-haired man.

Lucy's gaze instantly settled on Gajeel. Keeping her eyes locked on him, she responded to Natsu.

"Uh… No, I'm not hungry. You guys go ahead. Maybe bring me back a sandwich or something for later…"

Lucy continued to stare at Gajeel and it wasn't until Natsu waved his hand in front of her face did she snap out of it. With a quick glance towards Erza and Gray to make sure they hadn't noticed anything, Lucy refocused her eyes on Natsu. Erza and Gray remained unbothered by the going ons, caught up in a quiet conversation, so it had only been Natsu who noticed her zoning out.

"You okay, Luce? You look a little spacey. Are you sure you don't wanna come? Maybe some sugar will help," he offered, voice full of concern.

"No, I'm good. Promise. I just need to talk to Gajeel about something the spirit said. I'm sure he'll fill you in while you eat," she lied smoothly, throwing Gajeel a knowing look.

"Want us to wait, Gaj?" Natsu asked.

"Nah, go ahead. I'll be right behind," the Iron Dragon Slayer replied, keeping his eyes trained to Lucy.

With a shake of his head, Natsu walked off, dragging Erza and Gray with him as he mumbled something about the North Woods turning his friends loony. Gajeel stayed rooted to his spot, watching Natsu and gang walk down the hallway. Once his keen ears picked up the sound of the main inn door opening and then closing, Gajeel walked towards Lucy.

"What did the spirit say?" he asked, looking at her inquisitively.

"Don't pretend like you don't know that it was a blatant lie," Lucy snorted. She clutched the front of his shirt and pulled him into her room. She spun around and slammed the door shut with her back, pressing herself against the wood as she yanked Gajeel into her.

"You've been making some big promises. It's time for you to make good on them," Lucy purred. She let go of Gajeel's shirt to undo the fastening on her robe.

Dipping down to kiss her throat, Gajeel whispered huskily in her ear, "So you wanna fuck now? Then I hope you don't have any plans, because we won't be getting out of bed anytime soon. I'm going to take my time, just slowly kissing every inch of your body. And when you're unbelievably wet and begging me to just fuck you, I'll push you up against the wall and slam my dick into you. I have a feeling you'll be pretty loud, won't you?" Gajeel paused to kiss a searing path up her throat. "And then, when Natsu invariably decides to jump into your room through the open window, and he sees me pounding your brains out, we can spend another few hours explaining to him, and Gray, and Erza how exactly my cock ended up inside you," Gajeel finished, smirking.

With a disgusted groan Lucy pushed Gajeel away.

"Way to kill the fucking mood. I don't want to sleep with you anymore now. Get out of here. I need a bath and I need to get rid of some of this pent up sexual frustration, since you're obviously no help. Go eat. Update them. And please, for the love of god, convince Natsu to not show up in my room tonight. Because _Gajy_ , if you play hard to get one more time…" Lucy left her threat hanging in the air.

"I'll figure it out," Gajeel promised. He bent down to kiss Lucy fiercely, briefly allowing a hand to slip into her robe and cup her bare breast. Then, pushing the robe off one shoulder, trailed his lips down her body until they found the hardened pink nub. He sucked it into his mouth, circling his tongue around her sensitive nipple. Lucy dug her fingers into his hair as wanton moans began forming in the back of her throat.

Abruptly, Gajeel stood up. He rearranged Lucy's robe before reaching around her to open the door.

"Now you have something to think about while you… Relieve your sexual tension," Gajeel smirked. With a swift swat to Lucy's pert butt, Gajeel sauntered out of her room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Can't fucking believe that asshole. That gorgeous fucking asshole…" Lucy muttered under her breath. When she heard Gajeel's distinctive chortle, her cheeks flamed pink and she stomped her foot in frustration before stalking off to the bathroom to treat herself to a long soak.

* * *

"Nature spirits?! What the fuck is that?!"

"If you shut your mouth for fifteen seconds, you'd know. Gajeel was just about to tell us."

"Sorry Erza."

"Like I was saying, Nature spirits are-"

"Conduits of nature," Lucy finished Gajeel's sentence, sliding into the bench next to Gray. Natsu was on the other side of the ice mage, with the other two sitting across the table.

"Hey Luce! Thought you weren't hungry," Natsu leaned over Gray who promptly flicked him on his forehead, forcing the pinkette back into his seat.

"Well, it _is_ my mission. Didn't feel right to leave it to Gajeel to give you the rundown," Lucy said with a shrug.

"Hmm. I'd thought you'd have been hungry after all your… Physical activity," Gajeel crooned, his eyes twinkling. Lucy glared hatefully at the man before composing herself.

"Speaking of, Natsu could you maybe _not_ come to my room tonight? I'm exhausted, I need to sleep, and I'd just like to be alone," she begged.

"Plus Lucy ate some funky berries last night and I don't think they've passed through her yet. The tent was quite a nightmare, having to listen to her stomach. And the smell… Whoo!" Gajeel leaned back dramatically.

It took every fibre of Lucy's being to not kick him under the table, but when their eyes locked, she didn't attempt hiding her absolute irritation.

"Well, thankfully, you're not going to have to sleep with it _ever again_ ," her voice dripped with implication.

Gajeel rolled his eyes as Natsu launched into a disturbing tirade about various bodily emissions.

* * *

The rest of the meal passed without incident, but every time Lucy and Gajeel locked eyes, the blonde wanted to leap across the table and throw herself into his lap. Occasionally, when passing the salt shaker or the water, Lucy's fingers would brush Gajeel's and all she would be able to think about was his calloused hands on her soft skin. Her panties were soon soaked through and Gajeel's sensitive nose picked up the intoxicating scent. When his eyes widened in shock, Lucy immediately caught on and the pair quickly looked at Natsu. There was no way the other Dragon Slayer hadn't also smelled her arousal. Mercifully, Natsu being Natsu, hadn't noticed a thing.

The group were now sitting around the Mayor's living room.

"Nature spirits? I've never heard of such a thing!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Honey, didn't your grandma used to tell all the children stories of the nature spirits?" his wife piped up. She handed Lucy a warm cup of tea as she spoke.

"Yes, but-" the Mayor started before his wife cut him off with a raised finger.

"Honey, dear?" she asked Lucy, who nodded. Mrs Jun stirred in a healthy teaspoon before clicking the silverware against the rim of Lucy's cup, signalling to her husband that she was done.

"As I was saying," the Mayor continued, "Grandma told us many stories. But that's all they were! Stories! As if dragons really walked the Earth," Mayor Jun scoffed.

"Uh, actually…" Natsu began. Then after a moment's contemplation and a _Not now!_ look from Erza, Natsu shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Another time," he mumbled.

"Mayor Jun, my celestial spirits confirmed for me that nature spirits do, in fact, exist," Lucy explained patiently.

"And what? We're supposed to just move because some spirit none of us have ever seen apparently said so? This sounds quite absurd, Ms. Heartfilia…" Mayor Jun began slowly shaking his head.

"Okay, listen up," Gajeel banged his fist on the arm of the chair and stood up. "We've busted ass in those Woods and we have been put through hell. We have been injured, we have bled, we haven't showered, and we've slept poorly at best for nearly a damn week! If you think we did that for fun, just so we could come back into town and fuck with you, I'll personally give you a taste of what we went through," Gajeel growled menacingly. Lucy wrapped a calming hand around his forearm, yanking him back down.

"I apologise for the tone my teammate took, but he's right, Mayor Jun. You can choose to not listen to us, and your people will continue to die. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but at some point, your town will start to collapse again, and if you let that happen, I can guarantee you that no one from Fairy Tail will come help," Lucy threatened. She wasn't actually sure if she could say something like that, so she quickly shot Erza a glance. When the redhead nodded her approval, Lucy turned her gaze back to Mayor Jun, staring him down.

Silence hung in the air for several seconds.

"We'll have the entire village move a few miles south, Ms. Heartfilia. Thank you for everything you and your teammates did," Mrs. Jun smoothly cut through the tension. Suddenly, it was as if the dynamic in the room shifted. The Fairy Tail mages noticed the way Mr. Jun squirmed in his seat, throwing frantic glances at his wife, and they noticed the way Mrs. Jun watched them calmly, and it became all too evident who took the big decisions in the family. Instantly, and almost unconsciously, everyone in the room began directly addressing Mrs. Jun.

"I would, however, appreciate your help over the course of today evening and tomorrow in conveying the message to the townspeople. They are likely to heed the warning of Fairy Tail quite seriously. And of course, you will have the Mayor's and mine public support. If you wouldn't mind spending another two nights here, we can deliver the message and organise a small feast for you tomorrow evening before you take your leave," Mrs. Jun offered.

At the word _feast_ , Natsu's face broke out into an impossible grin. "I'm never turning down a feast, lady. We're all happy to help," he smiled broadly.

With a genial nod, Mrs. Jun escorted the mages out the door.

"Will you pick up your reward at the feast tomorrow, Ms. Heartfilia?" she asked as Lucy stepped out through the door.

"Oh. The reward… Uh, yes, I'll pick it up tomorrow, thank you!" Lucy smiled, hoping she covered her fumble. As she walked away, she began thinking, _I never discussed with Gajeel how we're splitting the reward… Obviously 50-50 makes sense. Maybe 60-40 to him? He did do more work… But I needed this to cover rent… Damn it!_

"Don't know how you're going to split the reward, huh?" Gray's silky voice cut through her thoughts.

"How did you know?" Lucy pouted.

"You're an open book, what can I say? Okay, tell you what. Go, talk it out with Gajeel. And then shower and get some rest. I'll keep Natsu and Happy out of your room for the night. You and Gaj must be exhausted, and you've earned an evening off. Erza, Natsu, and I will handle talking to the townspeople today evening, and you can join us tomorrow. Okay?" Gray said kindly.

With a deep sigh of gratitude, Lucy nodded and let her head fall onto Gray's shoulder. He gently wrapped his arms around his tired friend, stroking her hair.

"Thanks, Gray. I owe you," she looked up at him with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm keeping Natsu occupied and away from you for an entire evening. Damn right you owe me," the Ice Mage laughed. Lucy got up onto her toes to give Gray a quick kiss on the cheek before freeing herself from his embrace.

"Gajeel, let's go. Gray said they'll handle this. We should get some rest. And we have something to discuss," Lucy called, gesturing for him to follow her. Not waiting for his response, Lucy turned on her heel and walked to the inn, knowing full well Gajeel was ten steps behind her.

* * *

"So you and Ice Boy, huh?" Gajeel asked, shutting the door behind him as they entered Lucy's room. "Is it an open relationship kinda thing, or was I just so irresistible that you had to cheat? And, most importantly, how did Juvia react when you guys told her?"

Lucy flopped down onto the bed and threw an arm over her face. "Gajeel. I have no idea what the ever-loving fuck you're talking about? Who did I cheat on? Why are we talking about Juvia?"

"I saw that hug. And that kiss. You make a good couple," Gajeel tried to keep his tone nonchalant, but there was an edge to his voice.

"Gray is my _friend_. We're allowed to hug our friends. And give them the occasional peck on the cheek when they're being nice. Don't get jealous," Lucy scoffed.

"I'm not jealous. I just…" Gajeel trailed off. He _had_ been jealous, but he sure as hell wasn't going to admit it. "Okay, fine. Sorry I assumed. But now, what is it you wanted to talk about?" he asked. The sensual lilt to his voice caught Lucy's attention and she sat up.

With her eyes glued to him, she watched him slowly pull his shirt over his head. Heat pooled in her stomach as she drank in his glorious abs.

"I… Uh…" Lucy stammered, unable to take her eyes off his perfect form.

When he raised a finger, gently crooking it in a come-hither motion, Lucy felt herself float off the bed and towards him. His eyes had darkened to a deep, wine red, and his full lips were parted as he breathed heavily.

"I hate that you're still wearing clothes," Gajeel growled before hooking his finger in the neck of Lucy's T-shirt. In one fluid stroke, Gajeel ripped the top open, pushing it off Lucy's shoulders.

"I could've just taken it off," Lucy whispered huskily.

"Maybe later. For now, we're doing things my way, and baby, I don't intend to hold back," Gajeel murmured, bringing his lips close to Lucy's.

"Good," she purred back, looping her arms around his neck. They stood like that, arms around one another, lips just barely touching, for a couple seconds. Lucy flicked her tongue out to caress his bottom lip as his hands went to her ass, gently kneading the soft flesh.

Then, with a desperate, soft pant, Lucy moaned, "I want you, Gajeel."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay now I'm starting to feel mean. I've played enough, and you are such gorgeous people who deserve the smut you came here for, so, scout's honour, next chapter! There has been enough foreplay, methinks.  
> Can't wait to read your stunning reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

The energy in the room was electric. From her room window, Lucy could see the inky purple sky as she pulled Gajeel towards the bed. Every touch, kiss, and caress had been leading up to this and Lucy was strangely nervous. Her heart was hammering as Gajeel reached around her to unclasp her bra, his eyes never leaving hers. When the garment was on the floor, Gajeel slowly eased Lucy onto the mattress, standing between her spread legs. He could hear her heartbeat and he noticed her widened eyes.

"We can take it slow, Bunny," he said carefully. "We don't have to do anything tonight, if you don't want to. We can just cuddle."

Lucy stood up in shock, her chest now pressed against Gajeel's. "What?! No! Why? Do you not want to? I want to!"

"Your heart is beating a million miles a minute, baby girl. And you look like a deer caught in headlights."

Lucy sat back down with a sigh. "I'm just nervous. There's been such a buildup and so much anticipation. This entire week of foreplay just got very real, and I want it to be good for you." She looped her arms around Gajeel's waist, pulling him close as she rested her forehead against his toned abdomen.

"Are you insane? Have you seen how hot we are, Bunny? Both individually and together? There's no way us having sex will be anything short of spec-fucking-tacular. Relax, babe," Gajeel chuckled, gently stroking her hair.

With a relieved sigh, Lucy placed an open kiss against Gajeel's abs. When the man sharply drew in a breath, Lucy kissed him again, this time lightly sucking the skin into her mouth. Same reaction, but with an added groan. Lucy gripped Gajeel's hips, kissing her way down his abs to the cut V on which his pants hung. As she sucked on the thin skin right above his waistband, her fingers undid the fastenings on his leather pants, before she pushed them down, over his toned ass and to his knees. She let her hands run over his muscular butt, down along his thighs, and back up to gently grip him already semi-hard dick. Gajeel hurriedly kicked his pants off before resuming his place between Lucy's legs.

"Strangely, I'm not surprised to see a dick piercing," Lucy said as she trailed her hand up and down his massive length. Then, ever so slowly, she bent down and kissed the metal ring that adorned his cock.

"Fuck," Gajeel hissed, inadvertently bucking his hips.

Lucy looked up at him and smirked before opening her mouth and sucking in the head of his dick. She swirled her tongue along the slit, humming when Gajeel groaned in satisfaction.

Gajeel gently wove his hands into her hair, holding the blonde locks away from her face.

With a gasp, Lucy pulled her mouth off Gajeel's cock. She looked up at him, eyes hooded with lust.

"I won't break, Gaj," she whispered sultrily.

Gajeel looked at her inquisitively, trying to decipher what she meant. When the gears finally clicked into place, his eyes widened.

"Really, Bunny?"

"You said you weren't gonna hold back. So don't," she said, her voice posing a challenge.

In an instant, Gajeel had his hand on her throat, and his mouth on hers. He kissed her roughly, biting her lip and along her jaw as his free hand massaged her breast. He pinched her nipple and rolled it between his fingers. When Lucy moaned, Gajeel swallowed the sound, growling in satisfaction. He tugged Lucy to her feet before leading her to a wall.

"I recall something about slamming my cock into you against a wall?" Gajeel murmured into Lucy's ear. He had his leg between Lucy's, with his thigh pressed into her core. Lucy began grinding herself against him, desperate for some release.

"Please, Gajeel," she begged.

"Mm, not yet," he grinned wickedly before reaching under Lucy's skirt to yank her panties off. The smell of Lucy's arousal permeated the air, strong enough for even Lucy's nose to catch it. Gajeel took in a shaky inhale, his eyes fluttering shut at the intoxicating scent.

"It drives me crazy to know I did that to you, babe," he whispered.

"I want you, Gajeel. God, I think I'm losing my mind. I need you. Please, I just need you," Lucy begged again.

Gajeel growled, kissing her deeply. "Fuck, you're perfect."

He snaked his hand down her body, stopping to massage her tits before trailing down her soft, flat stomach and past her skirt. His fingers slipped under the fabric and ran up her thigh, delicately grazing the sensitive skin. Lucy began squirming in anticipation, trying to will Gajeel's fingers to make their way to her wet centre.

Agonisingly slowly, Gajeel ran his fingers up her legs. Warmth emanated from her and Gajeel had to try very hard to slow down. This moment was a long time coming for the both of them and he wanted her to really savour it. Lucy was watching him intently, breathing hard as he stroked her thighs.

"Please," she rasped again.

Gajeel leaned forward to kiss her. It was a soft, delicate kiss, filled with promises of lust and affection. Then, with his forehead resting against hers, Gajeel dipped his fingers into her dripping slit. Lucy gasped and bucked her hips, silently asking for more, but Gajeel continued to just barely circle her clit. Lucy's fingers tightened in Gajeel's hair and she began panting as desire mounted within her. As her breath grew more ragged, Gajeel increased his speed, rubbing her sensitive bud as the coil in her stomach began to tighten.

"Oh my god," Lucy breathed, pressing her lips to Gajeel's. She mewled into his mouth, gasping when he slid two fingers into her. "Yes yes yes," Lucy moaned, screwing her eyes shut. She lifted a leg and Gajeel quickly caught it in the crook of his arm, opening her up to him. As he continued to finger fuck her, he latched onto her neck, biting and sucking at the thin skin.

"If you leave a mark, I'll kill you," Lucy threatened in between moans.

"Too late, Bunny girl," Gajeel smirked, watching a purple spot blossom where his teeth had just been.

"Ugh, how am I going to- oh my god!- explain it to Natsu?" Lucy groaned as Gajeel pushed in a third finger.

"Baby, can you do me a favour and stop thinking about Natsu while I finger you? It's kinda killing the mood," Gajeel complained.

Lucy's cheeks flushed a bright red. She clamped her lips shut and nodded before tipping her head back against the wall, allowing every ripple of pleasure to course through her.

Gajeel dragged his lips down her throat and to her nipple, where he sucked on the pale pink nub. He gently bit at her sensitive skin, smirking to himself when she yelped out a moan. He pumped his fingers in and out of her rapidly, feeling her wetness drip down into his palm. Lucy's head dropped onto his shoulder, whimpering as her impending orgasm began building somewhere in her stomach. Her fingers tightened around Gajeel's shoulders, nails biting into the skin.

He released her nipple from his mouth, righting himself to watch her unravel at his touch. When he saw how close she was, he pressed his thumb into her clit. With a scream, Lucy's orgasm tore through her, and the single leg holding her up buckled. She fell against Gajeel, moaning as he drew her climax out. Muscles she didn't even realise she was holding tense relaxed as ecstasy washed over her and Lucy suddenly felt euphoric. Her body was spent as she leaned on Gajeel. He pulled her fingers out of her, gently caressed her flushed and sensitive skin, and peppered her with kisses wherever his lips could reach.

"You good?" he asked the still limp and immobile girl.

"So good," came the slow, raspy response.

"Need a break?" Gajeel asked, trying desperately to hide the humour in his voice. He didn't know why but it made him ridiculously happy to know _he_ did that to her. Her eyes were glazed over and she had a serene, satisfied smile on her face. Her hair was mussed, cheeks pink, and lips swollen, and she had never looked more beautiful.

"No, I don't," Lucy replied happily in answer to his question. Then, with surprising vigour, given her supine state not two seconds ago, Lucy jumped up into Gajeel's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He caught her under her butt, supporting her as she reached between the two of them to stroke his length. Then, lifting herself marginally, Lucy aligned him to her entrance and sank down. The couple gasped at the sensation. Gajeel filled her up so fully, his cock hitting every sensitive spot within her, and she wrapped around him so tightly, gripping him like a vice.

Bracing herself on Gajeel's shoulders, Lucy began lifting herself, feeling him ease out of her, before dropping back down until he was buried to the hilt inside her. Her brown eyes never left his deep red ones, except for the moments when the ring on his cock hit a spot inside her just right. When that happened, Lucy's eyes would shut and her head would roll back as pleasure shivered up through her spine. Her back was against the wall, supporting her as Gajeel began snapping his hips, pushing himself into her with low grunts and growls.

Suddenly, wordlessly, Gajeel pulled Lucy off the wall, and at record speed, strode to the bed where he flung her onto the mattress.

"Damn, Lucy," he whispered appreciatively, watching the shapely blonde stretch out. "Get that fucking skirt off," Gajeel bit out. Before Lucy could even reach for the waistband, Gajeel's fingers were at the hem and he yanked the skirt off her endless legs. Mercifully, Gajeel didn't destroy the skirt, though Lucy had no time to celebrate that. Instantly, Gajeel was on top of her, his body perfectly aligned above her own.

Lucy reached up to stroke his face, trailing down his throat, over his shoulder, and into his hair. Gripping the back of his, Lucy pulled Gajeel down until their lips met. She let her legs spread, allowing Gajeel to comfortably position himself between her thighs, and with their mouths still fused, he drove into her. Gajeel left Lucy's lips, pushing himself up to watch her face contort in pleasure as he slammed into her.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful, Bunny girl," Gajeel growled.

"Don't stop, Gaj. Please don't stop," Lucy breathed, arching her back to raise her hips. She met his thrusts with swivels of her own. One hand gripped Gajeel's arm while the other circled her clit.

"Let me take care of that, babe," Gajeel whispered, turning Lucy onto her side. He lay down behind her, lifting her leg and propping it on his thigh. Then, with one hand under Lucy's body, fondling her tit, and the other over her waist and rubbing her nub, Gajeel slid back into her. As his thrusts grew faster and deeper, Lucy's moans got louder, until she stuffed the corner of a pillow into her mouth, lest their guildmates hear her. She mewled wantonly into the pillow, pushing her hips back into Gajeel's, trying to feel him as deeply as possibly.

"More more more," she gasped, momentarily pulling the pillow out of her mouth. Gajeel smirked, kissing her lightly on the shoulder before pulling out almost all the way and then slamming back in. He gyrated his hips, allowing Lucy to feel every inch of his massive cock and the pretty ring that drove her crazy. Lucy's eyes rolled back in her head and she knew it was a matter of seconds before a second, even more powerful orgasm, hit her.

"I'm so close," she managed to gasp out, encouraging Gajeel to pick up his pace. Lucy thanked every god that she could think of for his Dragon Slayer levels of extreme stamina as he pumped into her at a brutal, toe-curling pace. His lips found her throat and he began grazing his teeth over her sensitive skin.

"Think you can wait for me?" he asked in her ear, panting as his climax rapidly approached too.

Unable to speak, Lucy merely nodded, willing her body to teeter on the precipice for just a moment longer. Her legs had begun to spasm, her body craving its release, but the Celestial Mage held on, biting down on the pillow.

"Okay, baby, cum with me," Gajeel groaned. With a cry of relief, Lucy let herself go. Gajeel's name left her lips in a continuous stream as waves of pleasure crashed over her. Her mind went numb and vision went black at the intensity of her orgasm. She could feel her walls convulse, milking every drop of warm seed that was shooting into her. Behind her, Gajeel was gasping, his thighs weak from his climactic euphoria.

As they came off their high, Lucy rolled until her head was on Gajeel's chest and his arms were around her. Both bodies were slicked in a thin sheen of sweat and the room was filled with the soft sounds of heavy breathing. Neither spoke for several minutes, revelling in their orgasmic bliss.

"Fucking hell," Gajeel finally whispered, running a hand through his hair to push it off his damp forehead.

Lucy laughed softly. "Fucking hell is right. Almost seems worth the wait," she said, kissing his chest.

Gajeel reached for her face, tipping her chin up with one thumb. "You're beautiful, Lucy. And so amazing. And I'd wait another week just to be able to do that with you again," he murmured.

A pink blush rose to Lucy's cheeks, and she turned her face into Gajeel's chest. With a soft "tut", Gajeel brought her face back to meet his.

"I'm serious. Amazing," he grinned, craning his neck forward. Lucy smiled before stretching up and pressing her lips to his.

Then, cuddling back against Gajeel, Lucy sighed. "Might get complicated when we get back to Magnolia," she whispered, almost to herself.

"Can't complicate what no one knows about," Gajeel said with a slight shrug. Lucy made a non-committal sound of agreement as she felt her eyes start to close.

"I really liked this, Gajeel," she muttered, half-asleep. "I really like you." And with that, the exertion of the week and the pleasure of the last hour finally hit her. Warm and cozy in Gajeel's arms, sleep gently took Lucy.

* * *

The sun was still low in the sky when Lucy began stirring. She stretched her limbs, feeling her sore muscles scream momentarily before sweet relief flooded them. Before she opened her eyes, she patted around the bed, searching for the reason her muscles were this sore. When all she found was a cool pillow and an empty bed, her eyes flew open.

"Gajeel?" she called. When she got no response, she called again, this time louder. Slipping out of bed, Lucy padded to the bathroom, only to find it empty. No sign of Gajeel anywhere. A strange sense of sorrow, disappointment, and confusion began trickling into her mind. Lucy was contemplating going and banging on his door when she noticed a small piece of paper folded on her nightstand that definitely hadn't been there earlier. She leapt at the note, smoothening it open to read its contents.

_Morning Bunny,_

_Coffee at 8?_

Lucy quickly checked the clock in her room, panicking when she realised she had barely thirty minutes until her breakfast date. She scrambled into the shower, dragging a comb through her wet hair, before wrestling herself into the first skirt and top she pulled out. After a few quick swipes of makeup and a pretty necklace clasped at her throat, Lucy bolted out of her room with a minute or so to spare. She flung the inn door open, ready to run to the nearest little cafe when she nearly bowled over a very stunned Gajeel and the two coffees he was holding.

"What're you doing here?" he asked in shock.

"Your note… Coffee… Eight…" Lucy panted, trying to regain her breath.

"Yeah. It's eight, and I was bringing you coffee, so… What're you doing here?"

"Wait wait. You were _bringing_ me coffee? So I didn't have to rush out of bed?" Lucy demanded, her tone now deathly serious.

Gajeel looked at her as if she was daft.

"Damn it, Gajeel, why was your note so vague?" Lucy cried, snatching the coffee out of his hand.

"I'm… Sorry? I- I don't know what's happening right now…" he stuttered.

"What's happening is I'm wearing makeup at eight in the morning because I thought we had a breakfast date," Lucy groaned. She walked to a nearby bench and plopped down.

"Wouldn't you want to have breakfast with your friends? I assumed we could get some alone time before that, hence bringing the coffee to your room," Gajeel explained, sitting down next to her.

Lucy suddenly felt a pull of affection for Gajeel and how thoughtful he was trying to be, even if it didn't fully translate. She gently cupped his face and was about to lean in for a kiss when he pulled back.

"Your friends are almost here," he bit out. "I can smell the damn fire breather."

Lucy quickly dropped her hand, wrapping it around the warm cup instead. In the distance she began hearing her name being yelled.

"-cy! Lucy! Where are you?" Happy's high voice came ringing through as he flew through the inn doors. "Lu- Oh! There you are, Lucy! I found her, Natsu!"

Within a second, Natsu came barreling out onto the street. "Luce! There ya are! Got a little worried when you didn't answer your door."

"You must've just missed me," Lucy answered with an awkward laugh.

"Good, you have your coffee. Are we ready to get started on our day? Many houses to cover," Erza immediately began instructing as she followed Natsu out.

" _Work?!_ Already?! But what about breakfast, Erza?!" Natsu cried, extremely affronted.

"Gotta agree with the human blowtorch. We need to eat, Erza," Gray chimed in, trying to reason with the redheaded drill sergeant.

"Fine. You all get half an hour to eat, and then we need to cover the rest of the town before the feast tonight. Your half an hour has already started, so I'd get moving if I were you," Erza said, beginning to walk away.

"Thirty minutes?! Fuck! Run, Gray!" Natsu yelled, breaking out into a sprint. Gray shot a pleading look at Erza, and when he received no sympathy, tore off behind Natsu. Happy, yelling for the two mages to wait, flew off after them.

Lucy watched her friends get up to their antics and she shook her head with a rueful smile, until she remembered the alone time that she and Gajeel were supposed to have.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at him apologetically. "I wish we had that alone time."

"It's fine. Guess I was asking for too much," Gajeel didn't look irritated, but something about his tone told Lucy he was ready to punch each of her friends.

"Maybe tonight…?" She suggested.

"Yeah. Maybe." Gajeel didn't look at Lucy as he began walking away, forcing her to jog after him, all the while feeling confused and slightly hurt by the entire encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some smut! I don't think it's ever taken me this long to get to sex! Phew, feeling a little bit of relief right now! And of course, gotta sprinkle in some more drama too! I hope this was worth the wait and I'd love to know what you thought!


	14. Chapter 14

At breakfast, Gajeel studiously avoided meeting anyone's eyes. Gray asked him a couple times if something was wrong, but Gajeel just vaguely grunted in response. Lucy was itching to talk to him, and breakfast couldn't finish fast enough. When they were done with their meal, Erza began delegating responsibilities.

"Lucy, Gray, you both take the Eastern quadrant. Gajeel, you take the South. Natsu, Happy, and I will take the Western and the Northern quadrants. You are to gather groups of villagers and tell them that they have a week to pack their belongings. Inform them that the town will pay for new homes, and tents will be supplied in the interim. Should any resist, inform them that the town has Fairy Tail's support and the guild will use whatever means necessary to ensure this task is carried out smoothly. Am I understood?" she ordered.

The group snapped a collective "yes ma'am," minus Gajeel, who, again, made a noncommittal grunt.

"But Erza, can't I be with Lucy? We're normally a team!" Natsu groaned.

"Natsu, I am concerned you will find some way to set this town on fire, and that is the last thing we need right now. So you will be with me. That way, I can keep an eye on you. Do you have a problem with that?" Erza's voice got scary as she loomed over a petrified Natsu.

"No ma'am. No problem," he whimpered as Happy darted behind Natsu's legs, hiding from the terrifying mage.

"Good. Everyone, disperse. Meet back at the restaurant by noon to eat, and congregate at the Mayor's house by sunset." And with that, Erza turned on her heel, grabbed Natsu by the ear, and began pulling him away.

"See ya," Gajeel nodded briefly, before taking off in his assigned direction.

Gray watched him go, before shaking his head and muttering, "Odd guy." Then, looking at Lucy, he tipped his head. "Shall we?" he asked.

Nodding, Lucy began walking, keeping in line with Gray.

"So…" Gray drawled. "I noticed something on your neck at breakfast," he smirked.

Lucy's hand immediately flew up to her throat and her eyes widened in shock.

 _Fuck! The hickey,_ she panicked.

"Uh, bug bite. Spread into a rash," Lucy lied, hoping her voice didn't betray her.

Gray looked at her incredulously before laughing. "Kid, that lie may have worked on Natsu. Hell, it may have even worked on Erza. She's tough, but she's a prude. But me? Lucy, I have given and received more than enough hickeys to know what one looks like, so save it. Bug bite. Hmph," Gray scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, fine. It's a hickey. But don't bring it up and if anyone else asks, you _have_ to back my story about it being a bug bite. Please, Gray! Just do this for me," Lucy begged.

"On one condition," Gray raised an eyebrow wickedly.

"Name it," Lucy sighed, knowing what the condition would be.

"You gotta tell me who gave it to you," he grinned.

Lucy had expected this. She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

_Tell Gray, or risk everyone else finding out… Gray can keep a secret. I hope._

"Fine. Okay. But Gray, you need to promise me one thing. You _cannot_ tell anyone. Please. Not a soul. It is very very important to me that you never talk about it, okay?" Lucy implored.

When Gray nodded sincerely, Lucy exhaled sharply. "Right. It's Gajeel," she rushed out.

" _Gajeel?!_ " Gray looked genuinely shocked.

"Who else would you assume it was?! He was the only person I've been around for the last week! Why are you surprised?!" Lucy threw her hands up.

"I don't know! You went back early yesterday! I assumed you found someone in town. Maybe the Mayor's son. Had a kinky one night stand, and now wear the hickey with pride! I didn't think it was Gajeel!" Gray yelled back.

"Keep your voice down!" Lucy hissed. "Why are you so surprised?"

"It's just… He's your type?" Gray asked in a loud whisper. "I thought someone like… I don't, Hibiki. I thought Hibiki was your type. Or even Lyon. Hell, _I'm_ more your type than _Gajeel_ is!"

"Well, sorry I don't like vanilla boys," Lucy sneered.

Gray's face immediately became impassive. "I am not vanilla," he deadpanned.

"That's not the fucking point, Gray! Fine, I didn't think Gajeel was my type either, but turns out, he is. So… that's that," Lucy finished definitively.

"Is that why he was being so weird in the morning?" Gray asked, starting to walk again, lest Erza find out they were slacking on the job.

"I don't know… He got me coffee, and we were about to talk when you guys showed up."

"Oof, sorry. Didn't mean to cockblock," Gray said apologetically.

"It's fine," Lucy waved her hand. "It got weird after that, though. I don't know what's wrong."

"Eh, some guys are just weird about PDA and shit. Maybe he just doesn't want to seem affectionate or whatever in front of us," Gray suggested, shrugging.

Lucy sighed in response, before walking up to a door and knocking on it.

* * *

The next couple hours passed, following Erza's instructions to the T. As expected, Lucy and Gray were met with some amount of resistance, but after a little strong arming and some intimidating at the hands of Taurus, the villagers acquiesced. They had made it through half their quadrant when Gray looked up at the sky.

"Looks like it's about noon, huh?" he asked, squinting up at the sun. Lucy heard the faint sound of a stomach rumbling.

"Yeah, looks like. Hungry?" she laughed, gesturing for Gray to lead the way.

As they neared the restaurant, Lucy's hand suddenly went to her neck again.

"Fuck, I don't want them seeing this. I really don't want to be fielding any more questions today," she groaned.

"I said I'd back your bug bite story," Gray reminded her.

"Still. You go on ahead, I'll run back to the inn and grab a scarf."

Gray shook his head. "Nah, way too suspicious. Erza will definitely notice if you suddenly have a scarf on. Especially when it's so warm out. I can ice it and that should soothe it a little. It won't look as purple, and maybe it'll be harder to notice then," he offered.

"You think it'll work?" Lucy asked hopefully.

"Well," Gray said, gently cupping his hand over Lucy's neck, "it definitely won't make it worse."

A sudden cool washed over Lucy's throat, and she felt the bruise turn icy. The cold seeped into her, spreading through her body and making her shiver. Just as she thought the cold would become painful, Gray's palm slowly started to warm back up.

"You should be all-" Gray began.

"What's going on?" a deep, gravelly voice cut through.

Lucy whipped around to see Gajeel standing there, staring at the pair as Gray's hand delicately caressed Lucy's neck.

"Uh, Gray was just… Gray was…" Lucy stammered.

"Gray was icing a sunburn. Lucy got a little burnt around her neck and shoulder, so I was icing it before it began to itch," the Ice Mage smoothly lied.

"Right… Uh, okay, well. Headed to lunch?" Gajeel asked, not waiting for an answer before he began walking. Gray started to follow, but Lucy's hand shot out and grabbed him around the wrist. When he turned to look at her, she silently mouthed "Thank you," grateful that he hadn't let Gajeel know that he knew about them. For some reason, Lucy had a sneaking suspicion that Gajeel would not be happy with Gray being privy to this information.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed far less eventfully. Lucy and Gray diligently worked their way through the quadrant, with only the occasional question from Gray as to her relationship with Gajeel.

"So, are you guys, like… dating?"

"Uh, no. I mean, we haven't talked about it."

"Right. Okay."

A few more groups later…

"It's just sex then?"

"I think so? I don't know, Gray. We've only slept together once."

"But you said… I mean… You were together, alone, for a week."

"He didn't want to do anything in the Woods."

"Why?"

"He was worried."

"About?"

"Monsters."

"Really?"

"Gray!"

"Sorry."

Finally, after answering his questions, some of which Gray got a smack for, the pair realised they'd covered their entire quadrant. They had verbal assurances from everyone that they would move within the week, though Lucy was unsure how many villagers would finally comply.

"Mayor's house?" Gray asked.

"Mayor's house," Lucy confirmed.

Gajeel was standing by the front door of Mr and Mrs Jun's house, waiting for his guildmates. A weird spark of irritation shot through him when he saw Gray and Lucy approaching.

 _Does he need to walk that close to her? What's he trying to do? Superglue her to him?_ Gajeel thought irritatedly.

"Hey Gaj," Lucy called pleasantly. Her heart fluttered when she saw his eyes momentarily brighten and his scowl relax into what could have almost been a smile.

"Are Erza and Natsu-" Gray began asking when loud screams cut him off.

"Let me go, Erza! Fuck! What's wrong with you? That hurts! Damn it, Erza!"

The group turned to see Erza dragging Natsu towards them, with one hand fisted in his pink hair, while Happy nervously flew beside them.

"What did the flint stick do now?" Gray snorted.

"He threatened no less than twenty families that he'd set their house on fire if they didn't listen to him. And then he actually did set one house on fire," Erza snapped, glowering at the Fire Dragon Slayer.

"I wasn't trying to hurt them! The kid wanted to see what kind of magic I did, and so I was showing him! I didn't mean for the house to catch fire!" Natsu cried, swatting at Erza's hand. Reluctantly, she let him go.

"I have half a mind to handcuff you to a train and let you rot there," she threatened. "You _will_ be on your best behaviour until we return to Fairy Tail. One toe out of line at the feast tonight and you'll wish you lived in the North Woods. No more fire. No more burning. No more breaking. Okay?"

Natsu scowled petulantly. "Okay," he mumbled.

Then, turning to the others, Erza asked, "Were you all able to convey the message to the villagers?" When the three nodded their affirmation, Erza gestured for Lucy to knock on Mayor Jun's door.

* * *

Later that evening, the Fairy Tail mages walked to the town square, where a lively party was underway. Criss-crossing strings of light filled the sky and happy music played from some corner. It was simple but warm.

"Sorry we couldn't arrange for something grander. Money's a bit tight, what with having to move the town and all," Mrs. Jun apologised, walking up to them.

"Not at all! This is lovely! Thank you so much, Mrs. Jun," Lucy said kindly.

"Here's your reward, Lucy. Thank _you_ for everything you did for us. We are forever indebted to you."

Lucy felt a pull of affection for the gentle, kind woman and she stepped forward to embrace her. Their sweet moment was interrupted when a ravenous Natsu spotted the food table and took off charging towards it, breaking up the hug in the process.

With a laugh, Mrs. Jun stepped back. "Enjoy the feast! Please help yourselves to as much food and wine as you'd like, and in case we don't meet before the night is over, thank you once again, and I wish you the best of luck." Cupping Lucy's cheek, she smiled warmly at the girl before affectionately patting Gajeel's shoulder.

"I'm gonna go get some of that wine. Anyone want any?" Gray asked, walking off.

"Actually, Gajeel. Can we go somewhere and talk? It's about the reward," Lucy said slightly nervously.

"I'll go with Gray, then. See you back here in a bit?" Erza confirmed before following the Ice Mage.

Lucy wasn't sure where she was going, just that she was walking away from the crowd. Gajeel followed her in silence, not touching her or talking to her, but simply walking close behind. After wandering the streets for several minutes, Lucy found a low wall behind a row of houses. She jumped up onto the wall and patted the spot next to her. When Gajeel had situated himself comfortably, Lucy opened the envelope with the reward and began leafing through the notes.

Before she could finish counting, however, Gajeel's hand encased hers.

"I don't want any of the reward," he said softly.

Lucy looked up at him in shock. "No! No, no! I insist. You need to split this with me. We can split it 50-50, if you want, though I think you deserve more."

"I don't want it, Bunny girl. This was your job, you deserve the reward."

"I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. Please, Gajeel. I don't feel right taking the whole thing. I want to share it with you. Please," she implored.

Gajeel sighed heavily. "Fine," he said, reaching for the wad of money. He deftly pulled out one 10 Jewel note and tucked it into his pocket. "I've taken my share. The rest is yours."

"Gajeel…" Lucy sighed.

"It was your job, Bunny. I crashed it. You deserve the reward. And me saving your ass? You don't need to pay me for that. I'm your guildmate, so it's my responsibility, and more importantly, I don't want anything happening to you. I didn't save your ass for purely noble reasons. I was being selfish because _I_ couldn't handle seeing you hurt."

"But you did all the hard work," Lucy pouted.

"Lucy, even your idiotic, fire-breathing best friend could've kept you alive. We're not the ones who actually talked to the spirit, though. We didn't try and get to know it. If you'd left any one of us with the spirit, we'd probably kill it. But _you_ solved the problem. You deserve the reward," Gajeel justified, stroking Lucy's cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Lucy caught his hand and pulled it to her lips, kissing his fingertips. "Thank you," she said, voice thick with emotion.

Gajeel gently held her chin and tilted her face towards his. Leaning down, he captured her lips in a soft, delicate, sweet kiss. Then, moving his arm to around her waist, he jumped off the wall, pulling Lucy down with him. Lucy wound her arms around his neck, and, bracing herself against the wall, lept up and wrapped her legs around his hips. They savoured every kiss, kissing slowly, deliberately, tasting each other's mouths, and feeling soft lips brush against soft lips. Lucy, ever so slightly, began grinding herself into Gajeel and the low growl that formed in the back of his throat mid-kiss told her he liked it. Lucy let her lips move from his mouth, across his now clean-shaven jaw, and down to his throat, where she inhaled his delicious smell. She sucked on his throat, reminding Gajeel of something.

"Hey, how's that sunburn?" he asked throatily as nipped on the skin between his throat and shoulder.

Before Lucy could respond, the couple heard her name ringing out. Lucy didn't have enough time to extricate herself, and so when Happy flew around the corner, he was greeted by the sight of two flushed and panting people, pressed together very intimately. Happy immediately clapped his hands over his eyes.

"Natsu was looking for you so I'll just tell him you're here kissing Gajeel," Happy stammered before quickly flying away.

"Wait, Happy, don't!" Lucy tried to no avail.

"Damn fucking cat. I miss Pantherlily. He'd never have been such a dumbass," Gajeel grumbled. "Wendy better be taking good care of him. Dealing with Happy really makes me appreciate Lily."

"How did you not smell him?" Lucy demanded.

"Uh, excuse me? There's this hot blonde with her legs wrapped around me, basically dry humping my dick, with her sexy little mouth on my throat. You really think I'm paying attention to much else?" Gajeel snapped back.

As mortified as Lucy was by Happy's sudden apperance, she couldn't help but giggle.

 _Well, guess the cat's out of the bag_ , Lucy snorted, pleased with her own joke. She knew she had to come clean about something else.

"Uh, Gaj…" she started tentatively, unwinding her legs and dropping to the ground. "I have a confession to make."

Gajeel eyed her suspiciously.

"I, uh… It wasn't on purpose, but… Gray saw the hickey. And he made me tell him who gave it to me. I wasn't sure if we were telling people yet, and I'm sorry if you didn't want him to know, there was just no way I could sidestep it!" she quickly explained.

Gajeel drew in a deep breath that he let out in a sharp exhale. "It's okay. Guess this was bound to happen at some point. I don't love the idea of everyone knowing, but not much we can do now, huh?" Gajeel shrugged.

"Also, I didn't have a sunburn. Gray was icing the hickey to make it less prominent," Lucy added.

Though slightly irritated, Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle at her strange confession. "Well, we can go back to the feast and deal with everyone, or…"

"Or we can go back to my room?" Lucy finished, eyes glinting wickedly.

"Nope. My room. Tonight's exactly the kind of night where Natsu will burst into your room demanding answers, but he won't come into my room." And with that, Gajeel picked Lucy up, slung her over his shoulder, and, at break-neck speed, navigated his way through the back alleys until they reached the inn. They slipped in, unnoticed, before making a beeline for Gajeel's room.

As Gajeel shut the door, Lucy made herself comfortable on his bed.

"This all feels so naughty and illicit," she giggled, amused by how secretive and covert they were being.

Gajeel turned to face her, pulling off his shirt. "We haven't gotten to the naughty part yet, baby," he purred, stalking up to a suddenly very wet Lucy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what're we thinking? Is there anything you want to see more of? I did get a couple reviews asking for some more kinky sex and stuff, and like, duh you'll get that. But we gotta build up to it. However, you should be getting a lot more smut from now on, mainly because I feel bad for not giving you any smut for like the first 12 chapters. Anyway, more drama coming your way. I have key events chalked out, I just do not yet know how I am getting to those events. Tbh been quite distracted by the other fic I'm writing (low-key plug) because it's a sequel to my absolute pride and joy fic, but I am trying to evenly divide my time between this one and that. As always, hit me with your thoughts, reviews, feedback, suggestions, etc!


	15. Chapter 15

Lucy held her breath in anticipation as Gajeel stopped at the foot of the mattress before reaching out and grabbing her ankle. A squeak left Lucy's lips when Gajeel pulled her to the edge of the bed. He held her hand, coaxing her to stand up. With surprising gentleness, he brushed Lucy's hair away from her back to access the zipper holding her dress up. He dragged the zipper down Lucy's spine, allowing the pad of his thumb to graze her skin. He brought the zipper down to the small of her back before letting his hands float down to her ass. Lucy's breath hitched when Gajeel kneaded her flesh firmly, quickly swatting her butt before bringing his hands up to her shoulders and pushing the straps off. With a quick tug, Lucy's dress lay in a pool on the floor, leaving her in nothing but her panties.

Gajeel's breath hitched at the sight of Lucy's almost naked body. He ran his hands up her sides, towards her breasts. He cupped her large mounds briefly before dragging his hands up past her shoulders and into her hair.

"You're gorgeous, Bunny girl," he whispered into her ear before firmly pressing his lips to hers.

"Please take me, Gajeel," Lucy moaned into his mouth, desperately rubbing her stiff, aching nipples against his toned chest. She slipped her fingers into his long hair, raking her nails through his scalp and down his neck, feeling his soft locks slide between her fingers. Suddenly, Gajeel grabbed her ass and yanked her up. Instinctively, Lucy wound her legs around him, her arms gripping his neck. She could feel his erection nestled against her ass as he walked her to the tiny dinner table in the corner of his room. Unceremoniously, he dropped her onto the table, before gently pushing her back until she was lying down, her head hanging off one side, and knees hanging off the other.

"I'm going to fuck you now, Bunny. Like really fuck you. And I need you to promise that you'll tell me to stop if it's becoming too much, okay? And if you can't speak, whack me. I'll get the hint. Is that okay? Do you promise to stop me if you aren't having fun?"

Lucy had propped herself up to listen to Gajeel. Her body hummed in excitement and she nodded her head.

"I promise," she whispered, before dropping her head back down. She could feel the blood beginning to rush to her brain as she heard Gajeel undo his pants. He walked up to her, gently combing her hair with his fingers as his engorged member hung above her face.

"Open your pretty little mouth, baby girl," he rasped. When Lucy complied, Gajeel eased his cock into her mouth.

Lucy caught his ring on her tongue and tugged at it gently, eliciting a gasp from Gajeel. With his hands supporting her neck, the Iron Dragon slayer began thrusting himself in and out of her mouth. With every thrust, he pushed himself slightly further down Lucy's throat, and the blonde relaxed her jaw, allowing him to fuck her mouth. She reached up behind her and held Gajeel's hips, running her hands down his thighs and up to his ass. As Gajeel's desire grew he began pumping his cock into her more aggressively, with his head thrown back and lips parted in sheer pleasure. Lucy could feel her air supply start to diminish and a gag wrench from her chest every time Gajeel slammed his dick into the back of her throat. It was only when the edges of her vision began going black did Lucy realise that she wasn't getting enough oxygen. Rapidly, she tapped her hand against Gajeel's hip, signalling for him to ease off.

As promised, Gajeel immediately pulled out and crouched down, bringing his face to Lucy's.

"Are you okay, Bunny? Fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't realise how rough I was being," he whispered, pushing her hair away from her face as she sat up with a cough.

"No, no… Just needed… some air," Lucy gasped, interspersed with dry coughs.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Gajeel confirmed. Lucy nodded, before getting back in position, head hanging off the side.

"Keep going," she murmured, looking up at him as she parted her swollen lips. Gajeel searched her face for a minute before resuming his position and sliding his dick into her mouth. This time, trying to be more gentle, Gajeel slowly pumped in and out of her, allowing Lucy to let one hand wander down between her legs. As her tongue swirled and lapped at Gajeel's cock, she began lightly circling her clit, feeling wetness coat her fingertips.

"Are you getting yourself nice and ready for me, baby girl?" Gajeel drawled with a smirk as he watched Lucy play with herself. Unable to speak, Lucy merely nodded.

"Mm, good girl. Are you wet, baby?"

Again, Lucy simply nodded, this time arching her back and slipping two fingers inside her, as if to prove a point. Gajeel groaned in pleasure before pulling out of her mouth and bending to kiss her. Lucy began gyrating her hips as their tongues intertwined, her fingers earnestly rubbing her clit. Her desperation and desire were palpable as she mewled against Gajeel's lips, wordlessly begging him to fuck her.

"Mm, stop now, Bunny," Gajeel ordered, placing a hand on top of hers to still her movements. "Let me take care of you."

With that Gajeel moved to the other end of the table, wrapping his hands around her thighs and pulling her forward until her ass was right on the edge. He brought his face down to her centre, peppering the insides of her thighs with soft kisses and gentle bites. Lucy squirmed under his touch, desperate for _more_. She threaded her fingers through his hair, trying to pull his mouth closer to her aching pussy, but Gajeel remained steadfast. Slowly, deliciously, he worked his way up her legs and towards her pink folds. When his lips finally ghosted over her clit, Lucy moaned in relief. Tears of satisfaction pricked her eyes as she bucked her hips, forcing her centre closer to his mouth.

"Please Gajeel," she cried, "don't tease me. I need you, Gaj. God, I fucking need you now."

"Tell me _exactly_ what you need, Bunny," Gajeel growled, eyeing her intently from between her legs.

Their gazes locked, lust and desire rolling off both in waves. Lucy wanted to pull Gajeel's full bottom lip into her mouth. Gajeel's finger had eased its way into Lucy's dripping warmth and he slowly curled it inside her as they took in the sight of one another.

"Fuck me, Gajeel. I want you to fuck me right now. I _need_ to feel you inside me. Please," she finished softly, voice unwavering. She drew in ragged breaths, clenching her throbbing pussy around Gajeel's solitary finger.

Gajeel stood up, leaning over her small frame. Winding his hand through her hair, he supported the back of her neck, ensuring she could see where their bodies would connect, before slamming into her in one fluid movement. With a scream, Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, revelling in the pleasure of Gajeel filling her up perfectly. Gajeel tugged at her hair, pulling her focus.

"Eyes open, Bunny. I want to see you come apart," he growled, keeping his hand firmly fisted in her hair.

With some amount of effort, Lucy forced herself to look at him, desperately trying to hold Gajeel's gaze as her eyes threatened to roll back with his every thrust. Lucy dug her nails into Gajeel's arms, holding her to him as he bucked his hips, pistoning into her.

"Ohh… Fu-fuck... Please don't fucking stop," Lucy cried, biting down on her lip hard enough to almost draw blood. In response, Gajeel bent down, tucking his face into Lucy's neck and he began sucking at the skin there in earnest. He trailed a path down from her neck to her shoulder to her collarbone, before he finally wrapped his lips around her nipple. He teased the nub with his tongue abruptly pulling away. He backed away from Lucy, watching her hungrily.

"What the fuck?" Lucy cried, throwing her head back in frustration. The tightened coil in her stomach was uncomfortably painful and she wanted nothing more than reaching her release.

"Get up, Bunny. And turn around. Bend over this chair and let me see that stunning ass," Gajeel ordered, dragging a chair in front of him. With a coy smile, Lucy batted her eyelashes and slipped off the table. She positioned herself in front of the chair like Gajeel asked, making it a point to wiggle and sway her butt as she bent over, sticking it out of him. She felt a swift, firm spank come down on her ass and she jumped in surprise.

"Ah! No moving, Bunny," Gajeel reprimanded before quickly whacking her ass again. He firmly kissed the reddened skin before grasping his member and guiding it to Lucy's entrance. He teased her slit with the head of his dick, coating it in her juices. With her desperation high and patience low, Lucy began throwing her hips back into Gajeel's cock, hoping she could move just right and make it slip into steadfast, Gajeel continued to tease her cruelly, but just when Lucy thought she was going to cry from need, he pushed into her. Lucy moaned loudly in relief as Gajeel pushed into her until his body was pressed against the soft, round, milky flesh of her ass.

All the teasing had left Lucy's body humming like a live wire, and with every thrust, Lucy expected to be sent off the edge towards her climax.

"Please don't stop, Gaj! Oh my god… I'm so fucking close, Gajeel," Lucy cried, gripping the chair as Gajeel slammed into her. His hands were tight on her hips, pulling them back in time to his thrusts, causing their bodies to slap together. When he sensed her walls begin to constrict around him, Gajeel reached around and quickly found her clit. Gajeel began rubbing her clit messily as his orgasm fast approached.

"Fuck… Fa-faster!" Lucy mewled. Gajeel began circling her clit faster, and within moments, Lucy fell apart under him. She screamed his name, hands fisted around the chair so hard her knuckles turned white. Her body went stiff as a rod, a moan stuck in her throat as her breathing suddenly became tight. And then, like a wire being snapped, Lucy suddenly went limp and the stuck moan released with a breathy exhale. Watching her orgasm rip through her triggered Gajeel's release. His vision went white and he began to feel his balls tighten. Pleasure washed over him, and with a grunt, he pumped his load in Lucy before falling over her.

Not wanting to crush her, Gajeel shakily stood up, wrapped an arm around her waist, and led her to bed. Lucy flopped down onto the mattress, face first and legs sprawled. Crawling over her, Gajeel nestled himself next to her, intertwining his leg with hers and burying his face in her hair.

"I think I went to heaven, Gajeel," Lucy mumbled into the pillow.

"What?" Gajeel asked, too wiped out to try comprehending what she'd said.

Lucy lifted her head with a groan. "I think I went to heaven, Gajeel," she repeated before planting her face into the pillow once more.

Gajeel laughed sleepily before kissing the side of her head. "Are you tired?"

Lucy mumbled unintelligibly once more before nodding her head.

"Yeah, me too," Gajeel yawned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her naked frame into his. "Night, Bunny," he whispered into her hair.

Lucy turned, touching her forehead to his. "Goodnight, Gajeel," she murmured, gently pecking his lips. Gajeel returned the peck with one of his own before letting his eyes fall shut.

Soon after, the couple were both fast asleep.

* * *

Gajeel pounded on Lucy's door. "Bunny! Are you done packing? Fuck, they're going to kill us!"

Lucy flung the door open, letting him in. "I can't believe we overslept! Quick, check the room, make sure I've packed everything."

Gajeel searched the room, retrieving a bra and a tube of toothpaste. "Lucy, catch," he said, flinging both at her. She deftly caught both, stuffing them into her bag.

"You're good to go, I think," Gajeel panted. Lucy picked her up her bag and dashed out the door, with Gajeel hot on her heels.

They burst out of the inn doors, hoping they hadn't caused everyone to miss the train.

"You're late," Erza barked.

"You're sleeping together?!" Natsu cried at the same time.

"Natsu, shut up. You have enough time to interrogate them on the train ride, but we need to move _now_ if we want to make our train," Erza ordered sternly before marching off towards the station.

The others ran behind her, Natsu giving the pair accusatory glares every few seconds.

The gang fell onto the platform just as the train screeched into the station. After Natsu's initial outburst, someone was yet to bring up the Lucy and Gajeel news. Wordlessly, the Mages climbed on, walking towards an empty booth. Lucy took her seat next to the window, and Gajeel moved towards her.

"Uh… Actually… I kinda sit next to Lucy…" Natsu said sheepishly from behind Gajeel. The Iron Dragon Slayer turned to find the pinkette awkwardly scratching his head. "It's just… She does this thing… Helps the motion sickness and whatnot," Natsu explained somewhat lamely.

Gajeel threw Lucy an incredulous glance but didn't question it. With a shrug, he moved to sit across from Lucy instead.

When everyone was comfortably seated, Natsu piped up. "So, you both are dating, huh?"

Gajeel shot him a withering look before responding threateningly, "It's none of your business."

"Nah, but like… Is it serious? Or just casual? Are you exclusive? Friends with benefits? What's the deal, guys? C'mon! Don't be shy!" Natsu prodded, elbowing Lucy in her side.

With a groan, Gajeel stood up. "You're just going to add to my nausea. I'm going and sitting at the back of the train. See you in Magnolia."

"Gaj, wait!" Lucy tried, to no avail.

"Have fun, Bunny," Gajeel said with a wave as he walked away from the group.

Simultaneously, everyone rolled their eyes at Natsu.

"What?! What's so wrong with wanting to know about my best friend's life, huh?" he demanded.

"Do it with more tact next time, dumbass," Gray sniped, slouching down in his seat.

Natsu turned to Lucy. "Did I fuck it up?" he asked sincerely.

Lucy stuttered for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. "Uh, I- I don't think so, Natsu. I'm actually… I'm actually not too sure what just happened. And to answer your question, I'm not too sure about that either… I suppose we just… _are_ ," she finally said with a shrug.

"Do you want to discuss it, Lucy?" Erza offered.

"Not really, guys… Sorry. I mean, there's nothing to discuss, quite honestly. It is what it is." Lucy could see that her friends were dying to know more, but she couldn't give them answers that she herself didn't know.

* * *

At the Magnolia station, Gajeel finally reconvened with the group.

"Pleasant train ride?" Gray asked.

"Could've been worse," Gajeel answered.

Gray nodded politely before waving goodbye to his friends.

"I will leave too. Natsu, you're leaving with me," Erza instructed.

"I want to talk to Lucy!" Natsu protested like an obstinate child.

"Talk to her later. Let them be for now," Erza glanced at the pair before leading Natsu away.

"So…" Lucy toed the ground.

"So."

"Why did you sit separately?"

"Natsu was getting on my nerves."

"Because he was asking about us?"

"Because he was prying into my personal life, and I don't like that," he said definitively, leaving no room for conversation.

"Um… I don't know… Do you want to come back to my house now?" Lucy offered, changing the subject.

"I should go get Lily. I miss the little guy."

"Oh, yeah. Right. Okay. Well," Lucy moved to kiss him.

Whether it was a simple misunderstanding or an aversion to public displays of affection, Gajeel subtly bent away, resulting in a cordial hug as opposed to a kiss.

A confused Lucy hugged him as he briefly encircled her waist before stepping away.

"I'll see you around, my Bunny girl," he said, winking at the blonde before picking up his bag and heading out of the station without a backwards glance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes! Sorry this took me a while to update! If I'm being honest, it is cold outside and I want nothing more than to constantly be in like 3 layers of clothing, and when you're feeling this warm and toasty and comfy and pajama-y, it's kinda difficult to channel the sexy, smutty, kinky side. I just want to curl up with boozy hot chocolate and Netflix and a blanket. Maybe this mood will motivate me to sprinkle in some soft fluffy moments, who knows? Anyway, hope you like this! I'm so excited to know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

Three very uneventful days had passed since their return, and Lucy had barely seen Gajeel. She was sitting at the Guild bar, and the memory of her last conversation with the Iron Dragon Slayer popped into her head.

It had been on the day after they got back from their mission. He had dropped by the guild with Lily, smiling briefly at Lucy before going to Mira. After a quiet conversation, Gajeel walked up to Lucy and dropped a hand on her shoulder.

"Lily and I are gonna go train for a day or so, but I'll see you when I'm back, gorgeous," he whispered covertly. Then, patting her on the shoulder, he left. To an onlooker, the interaction wouldn't have seemed suspicious in the slightest. The shoulder pat made their exchange seem cordial and friendly. But to Lucy, it was almost as awkward as the hug at the train station, though was beginning to realise that only _she_ was sensing the awkwardness. Lucy quickly scanned the room, and, as expected, no one seemed to have noticed.

As Lucy sat, lost in her memory, she failed to notice a very excited Lisanna bounce up to her.

"Hi Lucy!" she said brightly, snapping Lucy back to reality.

"You're in a good mood," Lucy commented with a smile.

"Oh, well, just heard some exciting news!" she bubbled.

"What news?"

"No need to be coy, Luce! I think you two look good together! Though I did always picture you with another blond, I must say, the two of you make a hot couple," Lisanna winked.

"Oh, uh… Lis, it's not-" Lucy stammered.

"I need to run now, Luce. Big brother is waiting for me in the market. He needs help buying Ever some flowers. Isn't that so sweet? Love is in the air!" Lisanna gushed.

"Uh-" Lucy tried getting a word in edgewise.

"Anyway, I expect all the naughty details later! See ya, Luce!" And with a wave, Lisanna disappeared as abruptly as she'd appeared.

_Fucking Natsu… Of course he told her._

Lucy snatched her milkshake off the counter and stalked towards her best friend.

"You told Lisanna?" she accused, smacking his head.

"Was I not supposed to? You never said it was a secret!" Natsu argued indignantly.

"Just… I Don't… Okay, no one else, alright? Not until I've figured this out."

"Okay, I swear. I won't tell another soul," Natsu promised. "But, Luce, why can't I? I mean, aren't you two together?"

"I should talk to him first. We never actually discussed this stuff."

"Well, you just let him know that if he messes with you, he's gonna have to deal with me," Natsu said proudly, sticking his chest out and jabbing his thumb into it.

With a laugh, Lucy ruffled his pink hair before sitting down across him as their conversation drifted towards the mundane.

* * *

Lucy simply couldn't sleep at night. A part of her burned with desire, having gotten used to falling asleep in a certain Dragon Slayer's arms. The other part of her was terribly confused. She didn't understand Gajeel's reaction to Natsu's questions, she didn't understand the weird shoulder pat, she didn't understand why he didn't kiss her at the station, and, at the core of it all, she didn't understand what they were to each other. She knew the simplest solution was to just ask him, but she didn't want to. Because she liked whatever they were now, and she feared putting a label on it would change it. She was confused, but she was happy.

_I still should ask about the kiss, though… What even was that hug?_

Lucy continued to mull over Gajeel, tossing and turning as sleep continued to evade her. She wasn't sure if she needed a cup of tea, a warm bath, or a solid fuck, but she knew she needed _something_. She even tried meditating, but her brain refused to quieten. Finally, with a loud, frustrated groan, Lucy pulled her covers over her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Just then, she heard her window creak open. Her heart stopped in her chest for a moment before she remembered the only person idiotic enough to break into her house in the middle of the night.

"Natsu, go away. It's the middle of the night," she called irritatedly.

He didn't respond. Lucy heard him walk towards the bed and slip in next to her.

"Natsu, please. Not tonight. Go sleep in your own bed," Lucy groaned, blindly throwing a pillow at him. Then she felt him slip an arm over her, fingers tracing a dangerous path from her hip to her breast. A rogue thumb quickly found Lucy's nipple and caressed it. Lucy threw her covers off with a gasp.

"Natsu, what the fuck?!" she yelled, smacking the man roundly across his head.

"Ow! Fuck, Bunny! Chill!" she heard a deep, gravelly, very un-Natsu voice respond. It took Lucy's brain a couple seconds to figure out what was happening.

_Bunny…? Natsu doesn't..._

" _Gajeel?!_ " she asked, shocked. She leaned over to turn on her bedside light before shifting her gaze to the now softly illuminated Dragon Slayer lying on her bed. His hair was open and falling over his shoulder in a satiny curtain as he propped himself up on an elbow.

"I feel like I should be worried that you _weren't_ worried when "Natsu" climbed into bed with you," he said with a smirk.

"He does it all. The. Time." Lucy stressed, rolling her eyes.

"I should beat the shit out of him," Gajeel growled, a faint hint of jealousy colouring his tone.

"Please don't give him another reason to get into a fight. The man is permanently itching for an opportunity to kick ass or get his ass kicked," she snorted.

"He shouldn't just get into bed with you," Gajeel frowned deeply.

"Eh, it doesn't bother me anymore, really. Especially in the winters. It _really_ doesn't bother me then. He's always so warm," Lucy's eyes twinkled. She knew she was egging him on, stoking that ember of jealousy that was burning deep within Gajeel.

A deep growl emanated from Gajeel's chest. He rolled on top of Lucy, trapping her between his arms. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, holding him in place. His hair fell around them, enveloping the pair in a dark, cinnamon-y curtain. He brought his face to Lucy's as she held her breath, watching his wine-coloured eyes darken with lust. His lips grazed Lucy's and when she moved to kiss him, he caught her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down. She yelped loudly which very quickly became a moan as Gajeel sucked on the wounded flesh.

"I'm warmer," he gritted, smoothly flexing his hips and pushing his crotch into Lucy's centre.

"Mm, so you're a Fire Dragon Slayer now?" she continued to tease.

"No. But I can make you sweat more than he can," Gajeel whispered huskily into Lucy's ear.

Before Lucy could think it through, words tumbled from her lips. "Make me sweat by hugging me awkwardly at the train station?" Instantly butterflies erupted in her stomach and she wasn't sure if she should have said that.

Gajeel pushed away and sat back on his heels between Lucy's legs. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking at her intently.

"At the train station that day. I went in for a kiss and you hugged me instead. It was…" she trailed off.

"It was what?"

"It was weird, Gaj. I don't know…"

"What are you unclear about?"

"You're one way when we're alone, and you're completely different when we're in public."

"Do you want us to stop doing this?" Gajeel asked with a sigh.

"No! That's not what I meant! I don't want us to stop, Gajeel," Lucy sat up, fisting the front of his shirt.

Tenderly, Gajeel tucked her hair behind her ear. He left his hand there, cupping her cheek. "Bunny girl, I like this. I like us. But I don't like people knowing." Gajeel dropped his hand, his tone becoming more serious. "Lucy, can you name even one of my exes?" he asked.

Lucy wracked her brain for several seconds. She knew Gajeel had been with other people; she'd seen hickeys on his throat before. There had been enough days where he'd walked into the guild with his hair mussed and his shirt partially unbuttoned, wearing the satisfied smile of a man who'd just had sex. There had been women before Lucy, but for the life of her she couldn't name a single one. She couldn't even place a face. Finally, she gave up and shook her head.

"Exactly. I can name your last _three_ ex-boyfriends. And, side note, I didn't like any of them. But I saw everyone gossip and squeal and discuss your love life, both in front of you and behind your back. I've heard people discussing the sex lives of their friends, their exes, and even virtual strangers. And it's not just our guild. It's like this entire town doesn't know how to keep their mouths shut. That doesn't work for me, Bunny. So yes, I may not throw myself at you when we're around other people. But when we're alone? Bunny, I swear I'll make you feel like the most important girl in the world. When it's just the two of us, you're all that matters. _We're_ all that matters. I just don't want to be involving the entire world into what should be just _us_. Is that something that you're okay with?" Gajeel asked with complete sincerity and concern.

Lucy momentarily balked. She was no closer to understanding what this made her and Gajeel, and she certainly hadn't ever hid a relationship before.

"So… you don't want anyone to know you're sleeping with me?" Lucy asked, voice wavering. It almost sounded like he was embarrassed.

"Lucy, listen to me," Gajeel gripped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "I am not ashamed of you. I am not trying to hide you away. I love what we're doing. This is entirely about me not being comfortable with people knowing about my personal life. If you want to look at it as me keeping us secret because I don't want people to know about you, then sure, I can't stop you. But that's not true. It's not true at all. I'm not embarrassed or ashamed or any of that other shit. I just don't understand why you have no problems with everyone prying into what you do in the bedroom and who you do it with. Last I checked, that's your business alone. And if we're together, it's _our_ business, but no one else's. But Lucy, you need to tell me _now_ if this doesn't work for you, because it's non-negotiable for me."

When he put it like that, Lucy couldn't help but see his point of view. It didn't matter how much they begged their friends to stay out of their relationship, it would be to no avail. Lucy knew they'd constantly be bombarded by people trying to dissect what they had going on.

 _Hell, telling Gray and Natsu is proof enough that the questions will be endless. And that's just two idiots. Then there's Lisanna, who's already going to hound me for "naughty details". Someone like Mira or Cana would never let it go._ Lucy shuddered at the thought of enduring an interrogation at the hands of the She-Devil.

"Yeah, I get it. It makes sense… Alright, I'm okay with not telling people," Lucy nodded. But there was still a question gnawing at her. "Gaj… Are we..."

"'Are we' what?"

"Are we…" _Fuck this sounds stupid. Lucy, you're happy. He's happy. The sex is mindblowing. You like spending time with him. What does a label do? Nothing._ "Never mind," Lucy said with a firm, reassuring shake of her head.

Gajeel looked at her curiously. "You sure?"

Lucy nodded. "Yep, I'm sure. I'm happy with this and I'm happy with us."

"Okay, good," Gajeel smiled. Then, with a groan, he got out of bed. "Well, I just came to clear that up, so I guess I'll let you go back to sleep," he said with a wicked grin.

Quick as lightning, Lucy's hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist. "No! Stay!" she demanded.

Chuckling, Gajeel sat back down. "As if I'd leave, you clown."

"You need to decide if I'm Bunny or clown, Gajeel," Lucy rolled her eyes, scooting to the side to make room for him.

"Mm, for now, you're _mine_ ," Gajeel growled before launching himself at Lucy and wrapping her in his arms as she squealed with delight.

* * *

"Oh my fucking god! Ohh- oh fuck, Gajeel, fuck fuck fuck!"

"Damn it, Bunny, you're gonna wake the whole neighbourhood," Gajeel hissed, pressing into her. Lucy's chest was flush against the wall, cheek and tits pressed into the cold stone. Gajeel's hands were on her hips, holding her as he slammed his cock into her. Her soft ass bounced against his pelvic bone while her fingers clawed at the wall, searching for some purchase.

Lucy turned her face into her arm, but it did little to muffle the moans tearing from her throat. Sweat slicked their bodies and they were panting heavily. Lucy felt deliciously full as Gajeel's dick hit every inch of her tight, wet walls. Strands of blonde hair clung to Lucy's damp face, with dark black strands weaving through as Gajeel nuzzled her neck. Her toes curled and knees buckled from the sheer pleasure humming through her, and if it hadn't been for Gajeel keeping her propped against the wall, she'd have surely fallen to the ground.

Keeping his hands on her hips, Gajeel walked backwards away from the wall towards the bed, where he sat down on the edge of the mattress, having kept his dick inside Lucy the entire time. He sat Lucy down on his lap, hooking his arms under her knees and pulling her thighs up to her chest. She dropped her head back onto his shoulder, nibbling at his ear lobe as he held her tight and pistoned his cock in and out of her.

Lucy loved letting Gajeel take charge. She loved when he flipped her over and pushed her face into the bed, kneeling behind her and slapping her ass before slipping his dick back into her warmth. She loved feeling his hand wind into her hair, gripping it in a pony tail as he yanked her back against his chest. She loved when his mouth found hers and he kissed her so gently, so passionately. Lucy reached back, tangling her fingers into his hair as their lips moved together perfectly. Gajeel's hands were tight on her tits, fondling them as he fucked her. Every cell in Lucy's body tingled and she felt her muscles tighten.

"Fuck fuck fuck, Gaj, I'm going to cum!" Lucy cried, falling forward to allow Gajeel to push into her as deeply as possible. Her hands clutched the bedspread as she mewled into the mattress. Her thighs had begun to shake under the force of her impending climax and she desperately began pushing her hips back, meeting his every thrust. She heard Gajeel's breath hitch and strangled moans left his lips. He leaned down, bracing his body against Lucy's as he pounded her. His thrusts were messy, erratic, and rough. Lucy was desperately close to her orgasm, and she could almost feel the relief that would soon wash over her. Craving that release, Lucy rubbed her clit furiously.

"Fuck! Yes, Gajeel!" Lucy cried, as her vision went stark white. Her climax hit her like a train and Lucy's body shook. Losing control of her muscles, she rolled, just in time for Gajeel to slip out of her and explode all over stomach and chest. Lucy continued to spasm, her muscles twitching as she breathed soft cries of pleasure. Her eyes were squeezed shut, lips parted in a pretty O. Gajeel watched her ride her orgasmic aftershocks, and though it shouldn't have been possible after the load he blew, he felt his dick twitch. Something primal in him roared happily as he watched the beautiful blonde crumble apart, with his cum decorating her gorgeous body.

Her eyes slowly opened, long lashes gently fluttering as she focused her gaze on the Dragon Slayer watching her hungrily.

"Holy shit," she croaked. And with that, the two suddenly burst out laughing. Gajeel flopped down next to her and softly brushed his thumb across her cheek.

"You're good, Bunny. You're really fucking incredible."

" _We're_ incredible. I can't take all the credit," she said, kissing his thumb.

Gajeel gathered her in his arms, pulling her head up onto his chest. They lay together in silence, breathing deeply as Gajeel peppered her face with kisses. Lucy happened to glance out of her window when something caught her eye.

"Gaj," she called, "is it morning?"

Gajeel looked up from kissing her, turning his gaze to the window. "Fuck, that's definitely the sun," he said, spotting orange rays at the horizon, slowly lightening the inky purple sky.

"How many rounds did we go?" Lucy asked, looking at him in shock.

"I lost track," Gajeel confessed. From how tired he felt, despite his phenomenal stamina, it was more than a few.

"We fucked through the night," Lucy said in soft wonder.

"Fuck yeah, we did. Damn, Bunny, you're right. We're fucking incredible," Gajeel grinned.

Lucy giggled, patting him on his chest. "Time for a shower, then we'll hit the guild."

Gajeel nodded. "Sure. Or, we can bathe, get some breakfast, I'll make us some coffee, and then we can get right back to what we're doing, and continue fucking through the day."

"How are you not exhausted?" Lucy questioned.

"Oh, baby, I am. But you're so fucking hot, it doesn't matter. Put some food in me and I'll be ready to go another twenty rounds. So what do you say? Let's take the day off. Stay in bed. Or the bathroom. Or the kitchen. Hell, we can have sex in the corridor if you want, just as long as I get your sexy fucking body under me."

Lucy knew the right thing to do was go to work, but her body was betraying her. She teetered on the edge of indecision, but when Gajeel ran his tongue along the shell of her ear, she knew she was sunk. She craved him, it was as simple as that.

"Okay," she whispered breathily.

"Okay? Stay home and fuck all day?"

"Yes, but after a shower, breakfast, and a nap," Lucy stipulated with a yawn. She couldn't feel her limbs anymore and all the happy, post-orgasms endorphins coursing through her made her feel relaxed and sleepy.

Gajeel chuckled. "Okay, Bunny, let's go have a bath," he said, patting her hip before stepping out of bed.

With a pout, Lucy lifted her arms and looked at Gajeel, batting her lashes. Gajeel rolled his eyes as he scooped Lucy into his arms. Holding her against his chest, he walked to the bathroom as the happy, sleepy woman snuggled into him, smiling contentedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I am anticipating the reviews saying "Damn sounds toxic af" and you know, you wouldn't be wrong. These situations can be quite toxic, but I do want to caveat the whole thing by saying I don't intend for it to be the toxic kind of secrecy. Some people just like keeping things hush hush and not talking about their lives, which was the intent. I hope that came through in the story itself, but in case it didn't I just wanted to let you guys in on my intention behind it. Also, sorry for the extended breaks between uploads! I know you lovely people have told me time and again that it doesn't matter, but I don't like leaving you hanging! Work is crazy at the moment, but holiday szn is upon us and hopefully everything stops being this hectic.
> 
> Please leave me all your lovely thoughts, because I read and reread each one!


	17. Chapter 17

As promised, the pair spent the entire day cuddling, napping, talking, and fucking. Lucy didn't realise that the day flew by, and she didn't remember falling asleep. She could only recall tangled limbs, desperate kisses, wanton moans, and incredible pleasure, interspersed with slower moments of Gajeel's head on her stomach, or her back nestled against his chest, with their fingers interlocked as they spoke in soft whispers. Lucy woke up in Gajeel's arms, her face an inch away from his. As the soft sunlight streaming in from her window dappled mesmerising patterns across his face, Lucy could help but feel this tug of affection. She gently fluttered a kiss against his lips before pushing strands of long, black hair away from his face. Despite the numerous piercings that usually made him look tough, Lucy couldn't think of one man as beautiful as him. She wrapped an arm around his neck and nuzzled her face into his chest, holding him close to her. In his sleep, he tightened his hold on her, pulling her into him. With a smile on her lips, Lucy closed her eyes, feeling entirely at peace in the embrace of her Dragon Slayer.

* * *

"Bunny, wake up."

Lucy felt a hand on her shoulder shake her.

"Bunny, it's nearly noon," Gajeel whispered.

With a gasp, Lucy sat up. "It was just past sunrise five minutes ago! I woke up then! I just closed my eyes! How is it noon?!" she yelled.

"Well, if it helps, I woke up only ten minutes ago. We did have a pretty tiring day yesterday," Gajeel said with a wink.

He wasn't wrong. Every muscle in Lucy's body screamed and she didn't have to look down to know her hips, ass, neck, and tits were covered in faint bruises. Lucy whimpered and screwed her eyes shut when she stretched her limbs.

"You okay?" Gajeel immediately held her, running his hands over her body, searching for signs of damage.

"Just sore," Lucy groaned.

"I'm sorry, baby," Gajeel smirked, not looking sorry in the slightest.

"You really did a number on me, mister," Lucy teasingly chastised.

Gajeel brought his face close to Lucy's, his lips grazing hers. "I didn't hear you complain yesterday."

"And I'm not complaining now," Lucy whispered against his lips. "In fact, I think you should do it again."

"Which part?" Gajeel flirted.

"All of it," Lucy breathed, sticking the tip of her tongue out to lick his bottom lip.

"Do you want me to run a bath and we'll start there? That was fun," Gajeel suggested, eyes twinkling.

"I'll get some fruit and wine."

"It's not even noon, Bunny! Wine?"

Lucy wrapped her arms around Gajeel's neck and pulled him down on top of her. "Then let's start here. Now. And after we're done, when it's past noon, we'll drink some wine in the bath without feeling guilty," she giggled.

"Nah, fuck that. We're drinking the wine now," Gajeel rolled out of bed and swung Lucy up over his shoulder. As he carried a laughing Lucy towards the bathroom, something caught his attention.

Gajeel froze, tuning his ears to the sounds on the street. After a second of focus, he threw his head back. "Fuck!" he groaned miserably.

"What happened?" Lucy asked from her perch on his shoulder.

"You're gonna have company in a couple minutes," Gajeel muttered angrily as he put her down. "Get dressed."

"You're leaving?" Lucy asked sadly.

"I can predict the conversation that's gonna happen, and I definitely don't want to be a part of it. Do I want to know how everyone knows?"

Lucy wasn't a hundred percent clear what he was talking about, but she was able to piece together enough.

"Natsu told Lisanna," she confessed.

Gajeel exhaled heavily. "Well, we'll figure something out. I'll come back later tonight?"

Lucy nodded, getting on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips.

"Right. See you later, Bunny," Gajeel winked, slinging his shirt on before climbing out the back windows. Lucy watched him swing out, feeling marginally confused, until she heard a knock on her door.

"One minute!" she yelled, rushing to her closet to pull on a loose, summery dress. She rapidly stepped into a pair of panties before running to the door and yanking it open.

"Why's your hair all messy?" Cana asked, pushing her way into Lucy's home.

"Don't tease her, Cana," Erza scolded, following suit.

Levy entered behind Erza, being suspiciously quiet.

Lucy looked around the corridor before shutting the door and facing her friend. "No Mira?" Lucy had entirely expected the Take Over mage to be here as well. No question her friends were here to interrogate her.

"Nah, Gramps needed her. But don't worry, she is going to corner you at some point. We all have questions, Lu. Well, we all except Levy," Cana shrugged.

"I just said that we shouldn't be prying into her personal life!" Levy said defensively.

"You didn't say that when I told you I caught Erza and Jellal fucking in the store room," Cana shot back. "You couldn't wait to get all the juicy details then!"

"I just… It's… Ugh, fine. You win. Give us the details, Lu," Levy sulked.

Lucy eyed her suspiciously for a second before deciding to play dumb. "I don't know what you guys are talking about," she lied.

"Sorry, Lucy. I told them," Erza said straightforwardly.

"Fuck," Lucy sat down on the couch.

"Was I not supposed to? I apologise," Erza sat next to her and held her hand, looking into the blonde's eyes sincerely.

"No, it's okay. You didn't know. We decided only a couple nights ago that we were going to keep it on the down low."

"Did you decide that before taking a day and a half off to lock yourselves in here and fuck nonstop?" Cana raised her eyebrow.

"Cana!" Levy chastised. "Go on, Lu."

"We got caught up," Lucy shrugged.

"Bitch, shut up. Stop being so fucking vague and tell us everything!" Cana whined, plopping down onto the floor by Lucy's feet. Levy took a seat on an armchair, still looking suspiciously out of sorts.

"There's nothing to tell!" Lucy threw her hands up in defeat.

"Nonsense. Gajeel is _so_ not your type. What happened to Hibiki, huh? Didn't you find him cute?" Cana questioned.

Before Lucy had the chance to respond, Erza threw her hat into the ring. "Honestly, I thought you'd get with Gray."

"Or Natsu! Why aren't you with Natsu? You guys are already basically joined at the hip," Levy chirped from her seat, to which the other three girls turned and looked at her in disgust.

"No, not Lucy and Natsu. They're like siblings. It would be gross," Cana said, sticking out her tongue.

"I must agree with Cana. Natsu is… He's either Lucy's brother or her son, but certainly not a romantic and sexual partner," Erza concurred.

"Though you are right about Gray, Erza. I see Lucy and Gray being a thing," Cana said as she eyed the blonde.

Finally, an exasperated Lucy huffed. "If you are all done talking about who I _should_ have been with, are you willing to listen when I say I'm happy with Gajeel? Because I am. Sure, he may not be who I pictured being with, but I am with him and he makes me happy. So, that's that," she said with an air of finality, crossing her arms.

The girls waited a moment, unsure of how to proceed.

"When you say _with_ …" Cana started suggestively, probing the woman in question.

"I don't know, Cana," Lucy sighed, defeated. "I'm with him. That's all I can say. Whether I'm _only_ with him, or whether we're something more than two people who have sex, I don't know. It's all new, and we just want to figure it out. By ourselves," she emphasised.

"But you are having sex?" Cana grinned widely, slapping her hand against Lucy's knee. When Lucy blushed and nodded, Cana all but crawled into her lap, demanding more details.

"I don't wanna give you details! That's gross!"

"Please, Lucy! Please! I'm begging you! Is he rough? I feel like he's really rough and kinky. And where exactly is he pierced? I want you to be as detailed as possible. And," Cana gasped. "How big is he? C'mon, Lu. I'm good at guessing these things, and I have a feeling he's packing some major meat, but I need to know just how worried I should be for your vagina. Does he have a dick piercing? Lucy!" Cana pleaded, shaking her friend.

"Cana, stop!" a voice rang out.

Instinctively, Lucy wanted to turn to Erza, assuming she'd been the one to put a stop to these inane questions, but the voice hadn't been Erza's. It had been softer and less assertive, but right now, a hell of a lot more irritated.

"Jeez, Levy," Cana mumbled, sliding back to the ground. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," the small mage blushed wildly. "It's just their private life and Lucy has already said that Gajeel didn't want people talking about it, so I just think we need to respect that."

And though it had been very strange and most unlike Levy, Lucy appreciated her intervention.

"Levy's right, guys. It's the one thing Gajeel asked for, so the least I can do is respect that. At least until he and I are able to fully figure this out for ourselves," Lucy said apologetically. When Cana tried protesting, one look from Erza quickly silenced her.

* * *

"Thanks for coming by, guys! I'll see you tomorrow!" Lucy said cheerfully, hugging Cana. After the failed interrogation, the conversation slowly veered towards more interesting gossip and general chatter. Even Levy perked up eventually, joining the discussion in full swing. Soon, however, the girls decided to get back to the guild, while Lucy decided to take that shower she hadn't had the chance to.

"And please, don't talk about this around the guild. I'm sure everyone already knows, but we really didn't want to draw attention to it, so if you could help quash the whole thing?" Lucy requested.

"Of course, Lucy. Consider it done," Erza committed, reaching over and pulling her friend into a hug. As they broke out of it, Lucy turned to Levy.

"Levy, can I speak with you before you go?"

Erza and Cana looked at each other before stepping outside. "We'll wait downstairs, Levy," Cana said as she and the redhead walked away.

"What's up, Lu?" Levy asked, nervously toying with her dress.

"Are you okay? You were acting a little strange, and I don't know what happened. Did I say something? Are you mad at me?" Lucy asked sadly, reaching out to hold Levy's hand.

Levy's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. "Mad at you?" she repeated in shock. "Never, Lucy! I'm not mad at you!" She threw herself at the blonde, hugging her tight. "It's just…" she whispered into Lucy's shoulder before pulling back. "Nothing. I'm just tired, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Lucy confirmed.

With a bright smile, Levy nodded. "Yes. I just need to catch up on sleep, that's all."

"Okay, well, you tell me if something is wrong, alright?" Lucy said, not entirely convinced.

"I will. Don't worry, Lu," Levy said as she walked to the door. Before stepping out, she turned out and looked at Lucy hesitantly. "I hope you and Gajeel are happy, Lucy," she said softly before leaving, pulling the door shut behind her.

A slightly puzzled Lucy stared at the closed door for a minute before deciding that she was overthinking things. Without sparing another second, Lucy rushed to the bathroom and turned on the taps. As she waited for her bath to fill, she pulled off her dress and sat at the edge of her tub, combing through her hair and undoing any tangles. A part of her wished that Gajeel was here with her, but she tried desperately to banish that thought from her head.

 _Stop being so needy and dependent! He has his life, you have yours. Goddamn it, Lucy_ she scolded herself, upset that her heart missed him and her body craved him. Determined to not think about him, she slid into the tub, letting the hot water work its magic on her body. As the minutes ticked by, Lucy slipped into a state of deep relaxation. She was very nearly feeling perfect bliss. The only thing that prevented her from reaching serendipity was the coil of lust in the pit of her stomach that continued to gradually tighten.

_Just think about something else, Lucy. Don't think about Gajeel's abs. Or that piercing on his dick that does magical things. Or the way he flicks your nipple with his tongue. Nope! Don't think about any of that. Just don't- Fuck it._

Lucy slipped a hand between her legs, using light, delicate touches to slide up and down her slit, brushing softly against her clit. As her desire grew, her movements became shorter and faster, focused solely on her clit and the pleasure that rubbing it brought her. Soft euphoric whimpers began escaping her lips as she pictured Gajeel hovering above her, slamming his dick into her. She shivered in pleasure, bucking her hips against her hand for added friction.

"Well well, Bunny. Got impatient, huh?" she heard a voice cut through her daydream. She snapped her eyes open and looked behind her shoulder to see Gajeel standing at the door, arms cross over his chest as he watched her appreciatively. She also noticed the prominent bulge in the front of his pants and it made her mouth water.

"Took you long enough," she whispered seductively. "Get in here."

"Now?" Gajeel teased, not moving. "Don't you wanna talk about why the girls were over?"

With a roll of her eyes, Lucy climbed out of the tub. Dripping wet and naked, she sauntered up to Gajeel and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down for a searing kiss. Her free hand slipped into his pants and he moaned into her mouth as she palmed his erection.

"Fuck me in that tub right now, Gajeel," Lucy said softly, her lips brushing against his.

"Anything for you, baby," he strangled back, quickly ripping his clothes off. He gracefully got into the tub before helping Lucy in.

"Face me," he ordered. He guided her down until his erection pressed against her slit. And then, in a swift move, he forced his hips up, pushing himself into her. The pair groaned in relief as their bodies joined harmoniously. The water muffled the sounds of skin slapping against skin, but it did nothing to muffle the ecstatic moans and guttural grunts emanating from the pair. Gajeel gripped Lucy's hips firmly, digging his fingers into her soft flesh for purchase as he effortlessly lifted her and rammed her back down on his cock. Lucy's hands were in her hair, holding it away from her face as she elongated her torso, sticking her tits into Gajeel's face. Before long, Gajeel had Lucy out of the tub and pinned against the wall, her back pressing into the cold stone. With one leg hoisted over his arm and their gazes locked, Gajeel drove into Lucy relentlessly, pounding her as she clawed his back in lustful desperation. And she begged. How he made her beg for her release, to the point where Lucy bit down on his shoulder hard enough to draw blood. But it was worth it, because when he whispered that magical word in her ear, Lucy fell apart, only being held together by his arms. She clung to his neck, moaning into his shoulder, as she spasmed around him. And when her aftershocks passed and she caught her breath, she dropped to her knees and took Gajeel into her mouth, tasting their intermingled juices. Hollowing her cheeks and looking up at him with her honey brown eyes, Lucy sucked him until he groaned her name and exploded down her throat, falling forwards against the wall as his legs threatened to give out from under him.

After a quick shower, filled with soft kisses and gentle caresses, Gajeel and Lucy sat in bed in their towels. Lucy sipped on a glass of wine while Gajeel fisted the neck of a beer bottle.

"So. What did you and the girls talk about?" Gajeel asked, lounging back against Lucy's pillows with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Lucy was nestled into his chest, her back pressed against his solid body, with a towel around her torso and damp hair dripping water onto the both of them.

"Nothing. As expected, they wanted to know about us."

"And?"

"And nothing. There's nothing to tell, right?" Lucy said, looking up at him.

"Yeah. Nothing to tell _them_. There's a whole lot more I could tell you," Gajeel purred, kissing her cheek.

"Like?" Lucy asked, blushing.

"Like everything I'm going to do to you tonight, my sexy vixen," he growled, nuzzling her throat.

"Gaj, that tickles!" Lucy squealed, pushing his face away. "How did you know to come back, by the way?"

"I was hanging out at the guild, and I heard the three clowns approaching, so I left there and came back here," he said casually.

"Those _clowns_ are my friends," Lucy snipped.

"Yeah, and they aren't the only ones who know, by the way. Had to deal with a little bit of harassment myself at the guild before I hid in Gildarts's office."

"Gajeel… Maybe we should…" Lucy trailed off.

Suddenly, Gajeel's back became stiff. "Lucy, I told you. That's non-negotiable."

"Everyone already knows!" Lucy cried, turning to face him.

"That doesn't mean we need to fan the flames by giving in to their questions, Lucy!"

"So what should I say the next time someone asks, huh? Lie and say we aren't together?"

"No, just tell them you don't wanna talk about it!"

Lucy barked out a laugh. "As if that works in our guild."

Gajeel looked at her tiredly. "Lucy, are you happy? Are you happy with me, and with us hanging out?"

"Yes, of course I am! This wasn't about me not being happy."

"Then if you're happy, and I'm happy, can we please drop this conversation? Because I have news."

Suddenly, Lucy perked up. "News? What news?" she gasped excitedly as her face brightened.

Gajeel grinned, pulling her in for a swift kiss. "God, you're beautiful. How do you know it was good news, though?"

"You wouldn't have toyed with me if it wasn't," she said simply, shrugging.

"Damn, you're more than just a sexy fucking face, aren't you?" Gajeel growled, dipping his head to kiss her again. Deftly, Lucy moved out of the way.

"Tell me!" she demanded, squeezing his arm.

"Do you, Lucy Heartfilia…"

"Yes?"

"Wanna go…"

"Yes?"

"On another mission with me?"

"What?!" Lucy cried, leaning away from Gajeel.

"C'mon! We had so much fun on the last one!"

"We were stuck in a murderous forest and you refused to touch me!"

"We did a lot more than touching in the North Woods, Bunny," Gajeel reminded her.

"Yeah, eventually. After I practically jammed my tongue down your throat."

"Damn it, Lucy, let me finish. I was going to add that it's a fun, simple mission. We'll be in and out in no time, and plus, we'll get a couple days just to ourselves. Imagine all the best parts of the Woods, with none of the monsters or the fighting-"

"Or you refusing to touch me," Lucy added sarcastically.

"If you keep bringing that up, I will fuck you so hard that you won't be able to have sex for a couple days," Gajeel threatened.

"Oh yeah? Prove it," Lucy challenged in a whisper.

Gajeel inhaled sharply before slapping himself back into focus mode. "Lucy, stop distracting me with sex! I want to go on this mission with you. Get away from everyone for a bit. Just you and me. C'mon, baby. What do you say?" he smiled his signature, crooked smile and Lucy was sold. She didn't care what the mission was or how long it would take or how far away it was. She just wanted to be wherever he was.

"Okay," she whispered softly.

"Okay? Okay, like you'll come?" Gajeel confirmed.

When Lucy nodded enthusiastically, Gajeel grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into him, kissing her fiercely and deeply.  
"When do we leave?" Lucy gasped, breaking away from the kiss.

"Oh, tomorrow. We have time," Gajeel responded nonchalantly.

" _Tomorrow?!_ " Lucy screeched, wrenching herself out of Gajeel's hold. "I need to pack!"

And, much to Gajeel's dismay, the pair spent the rest of the evening putting various articles of clothing into a bag, all while Lucy maintained a constant stream of abuse, insulting Gajeel for making her pack so last minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time, I won't lie, I took a while to update not because of work but because my other fic is consuming all my brain space. That story is just writing itself and I just was not able to put it into a box long enough to work on this until like basically today. But I'm happy with where this is going so far! I just realised we're like 17 chapters in, so I'm going to try and ensure every chapter has some meat and we don't have too many filler chapters (unless you want a bunch of filler smut). There is still drama ahead, after all. 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think! And if you guys have suggestions for what their next mission should be, feel free to let me know, because I put that in there, but I'm now blanking lmao.


End file.
